Death of a Comedian, version 2
by The J.A.M. a.k.a. Numbuh i
Summary: The sequel to the first ending of LSC&DBSDATKv2. Two souls separated must now destroy everything that reminds them of one another, in order to live. Two additional songs, and 2 additional chapters, reformatted and re-edited. Winner of 2 Acorn Awards!
1. Trailer!

**TONIGHT**

**ON THE ABC WEEKEND SPECIAL SATURDAY MORNING MOVIE:**

"_Changing your lifestyle can be hazardous to your health." — The J.A.M._

_ "Good-bye, my wife."_

_ "Good-bye, my beloved husband."_

_**WALT DISNEY PICTURES PRESENTS / PRESENTA / APRESENTA**_

_**A REMAKE OF A CLASSIC…**_

_**DIGITALLY REMASTERED WITH 2 ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS AND 2 ADDITIONAL SONGS…**_

_**598,629 LETTERS…**_

_**128,676 WORDS… **_[2,526 words more than the previous edition]

_**6,705 PARAGRAPHS…**_

_**140 PAGES… **_[well, in the MS Word format I used]

_**34 CHAPTERS…**_

_**18 SONGS…**_

_**6 RANGERS…**_

_**1 COUPLE…**_

_**1 BATMAID…**_

_**1 CHIPMUNK…**_

_**1 GOOF-UP…**_

_**1 KLUTZ…**_

_**1 CLOWN…**_

_**1 COMEDIAN…**_

"He shouldn't laugh at his own joke."

_**THE DAY LAUGHTER DIED**_

_But no more. No more Goof-up, no more Klutz, no more Clown, no more Comedian, no more goofin' off, no more foolin' around, no more…gettin' girlfriends…in danger…no more gettin' your hormones and emotions in the way of duty! I'm a __Crime-fighter__ for cryin' out loud! Crime-fighters and Comedians don't mix! No more…no more…no…more…_

Exhausted from his emotional disturbance and lack of nourishment, he cried himself to sleep again, with those words echoing all over his spirit, mind, and body, announcing the decision he had made:

_No more, no more, no more…_

_**IT'S AN OAKMONT THING**_

She lowered her ears and began to cry at this point, "I think Dale is going to lose Foxy!"

She wept on her husband's shoulder but was suddenly frightened, as well as everyone else, when Chip stood and banged his fists on the table, ears back and tail stiff.

"_No!"_ he chattered. "This is _insanity_! It's all a _coincidence_! Foxglove was _not_ killed! She would _never_ leave Dale! And he would _never_ let her go!"

Dale's father stood and glared at him, also with stiff ears and tail, "All right, Mister 'Detective', then _you_ explain why our family has gone through this…this…this _HELL_!"

_**A SEARCH BEGINS**_

"Um…Otis…actually, the real reason…I'm here is because…because I need to find my family. Any family. I _really_ need someone of my family present at the wedding, even if it is a distant cousin. The ceremony…can't be totally legal without witnesses from _both_ families. And…and…I need your help."

Both of them banked and hovered suddenly, echosounding at each other for a moment.

That was the first time Foxglove had asked for help from someone other than the Rescue Rangers…

_**DALE'S LAMENT: I AWOKE AND LAUGHED NO MORE**_

Chip simply could not believe that this was the same happy-go-lucky chipmunk who was ready to get married two days ago—

Suddenly, he ran up to him, grabbed his shirt again, and growled, _"?"_

Dale looked at his best friend with low ears and tail and tremendous sadness. "You don't know how much I wish I _was_ Ditz, Chip. If I was, then the real me would have already escaped from his spaceship and Foxy and I would be havin' our honeymoon on the actual moon—"

_"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTZZZZZ!"_

_**A FUNERAL PYRE**_

His ears and tail were limp again.

This was more difficult than it seemed.

It is never easy to say good-bye, especially to a close friend. But this had to be done.

He closed his eyes and tossed the match…

_**A SEARCH CONTINUES**_

"_Are_ you all right? You seem rather sad, and you haven't gone back to the park since yesterday. Is…is something wrong?"

Foxglove had to think fast. Her excuses were rapidly running out of convincing power, and Otis was asking too many questions…

_**CHIP'S LAMENT: STICKINDEMUD**_

But still, he had already read half of his Sureluck Jones novels, and when he wasn't doing that or solving cases, he was at the gym, either pumping iron or practising his fencing. Now, his shoulders were widening, and muscles were beginning to show through his fur, and even where they weren't, due to the fat layer all sciurids have for hibernating, it was fairly obvious that he was getting more and more solid.

Furthermore, he had not said one single stupid comment since that night, and it appeared that Chip was actually waiting for him to do so in order to bonk him.

But no, Dale kept his comments short and serious.

And only serious.

In fact, that was all he said now: serious things.

He didn't tell jokes anymore, not even when they were resting from cases or even on their way to or back from them.

Dale did not even _laugh_ anymore…

_**ALONE (UGH) AGAIN**_

That was a long trip from New York, but this was her quest now, and she would have to carry it out until she found her parents, living or dead.

And now, she would have to carry it out—

Alone…

_**OLD FLAME, NEW FUEL**_

Dale padded up and opened the do—

_"DALE, DARLING!"_

_**NEW FLAME, OLD FUEL**_

Foxglove echosounded at her for a moment, and replied, "I guess I'll live like any other bat, I suppose. Sleep during the day, eat during the night, have a few friends, avoid owls and other predators, just be an average batmaid."

"But whayat 'bout _yore_ fammeleh? Ah mean, well yew eyver fannd a mayte aggin'?"

The ex-girlfriend echosounded ahead and thought, _No way,_ while replying, "I don't know, Feyyanna. Right now, I simply don't know."

Feyyanna knew, however.

For she, too, had noticed the way Foxglove echosounded at Otis whenever he flew directly in front of her…

_**A NEW HOPE AND OLD FRIENDS**_

"E-eighteen years ago…I…was flying in a park…near the coast…in Staten Island…it was evening…I was carrying my daughter…my husband was next to me…an owl lady attacked…I dodged her as best as I could…my husband tried to defend me…the owl lady hit me in my wing…I dropped my daughter…my husband was killed…I fell…blacked out…I echosounded for my daughter…and never found her…I always thought the owl lady killed her…unless…unless…is your name Leticia?"

Leticia.

Could that be her _real_ name…?

_**GADGET'S LAMENT: DEATH OF A DREAM**_

The tamias turned away again in unexplainable pain, as his ears drooped again…

He felt cold, _very_ cold. And he still would not look at her…

"…but I've been thinking _everything_ over as best as I could, and…and I _can't_ come up with anything other than the fact that we just can't raise a family here! There's no way it can be done while keeping them safe from our enemies! I don't want me _or_ my cubs to go through what Dale and Foxglove went through…_do you_?"

_**FOXGLOVE'S LAMENT: DESESPERADA**_

I walk under the sun

But it's winter in my heart

That's how I am

Because our love

Is an emerald that a thief stole

Because I don't know anymore

Where my dream is nor why it left

I have nowhere to go

Without you

I can only repeat…

_**THE NUTSHELL CLUB**_

"Welcome, males and females, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, once again to The Nutshell Club! Tonight, as you know, is Comedy Night, and we've decided to make it an Open Mike night, though this mike looks somewhat closed here, ahem—"

A rimshot from the band declared that last phrase to be a joke, though some animals in the audience moaned at it.

"But really, folks, we have a great evening planned out for everyone—I just hope our plans don't backfire—[rimshot, moaning]—and we have lined up a great cast of the best amateur comedians in town—if there is such a thing—[rimshot, more moaning]. Ha, geez, it sounds like someone here needs some antacid or something—[rimshot with same results]. Oh well, I'd better get off this stage before I throw our plans out the door. Okay, now, here's our first victim—I mean 'comedian'…"

_**DEAD INSTINCTS**_

That had worked quite well, and sometime during their first winter together, that impulse disappeared altogether, "freeing" her from the last link she thought she had with the witch and her criminal past, enabling her to further concentrate on Dale.

But now…

_**I'LL BE WATCHING YOU**_

Chip did not like the tone of the word "kill", as his ears and tail showed.

With a shrug, Dale turned around and went to talk to the band again. One minute later, he padded up to the microphone, and began…

_**A SECOND CHANCE**_

She looked deeply into his pained eyes, gently held his head in her paws, drew him closer…

_…and kissed him…_

_**ANOTHER SECOND CHANCE**_

"B-brother?"

She then rushed up to him and hugged him tightly, pleading, "H-help me…b…_brother_…please…I need…_help_…"

_**A BROKEN SPIRIT DRIETH THE BONES**_

Finally, they were fully hit with understanding.

Some ears and tails sagged, and some others stiffened:

_"NO!"_ chattered Chip.

"Not me pally!"

"Dale!"

"This is illogical!"

_**MORE DRYING AS WELL**_

"What is your concept of death? Not suicide, just 'death'."

The batmaid winced slightly once more.

"Death? Well, I know it's something that will happen to all of us, but I guess we're supposed to live this life as best we can before we go, maybe…and death…is the final resting place, where you're free from pain, free from evil…free from sin…free from…from…yaaaawwwwwwn…from…"

_**MONTEREY'S LAMENT: MOST DEFINITELY DEAD**_

Dale kept quiet again for a moment, and then explained, "Don't you get it, guys? _All_ our major foul-ups ended when I killed the Comedian! The Clown was harmin' the team, he was placin' us—placin' _Foxy_—in more danger than was called for; he was _killin'_ us! Now he's gone, and as much as _I_ miss him, he _can't_ and he _won't_ be back…_ever_!"

_**THE LAST MATCHMAKERS**_

They sat quietly again, and a few moments later, the batmaid pondered, "They would have made a lovely couple, don't you think?"

"Chip and Gadget?"

"Dale and Foxglove."

The sciurid sighed. Once more his mind explored what _could_ have been…

_**ANOTHER FUNERAL**_

"A funeral?" asked Richard. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"…Please? Let me just say good-bye to them. I never did, and…that just _may_ be what has been eating at me all this time…"

_**ZIPPER'S LAMENT: USE THE FORCE, LUKE**_

Dale had his ears up, his tail was stiff, and he was unusually silent. The sunset was over, but he was still looking toward the west.

Or, that was where he was facing, for he had a blank look in his eyes.

Then, his breathing became more laboured. Something began pressing in his chest again, but he couldn't tell what it was.

He slowly began to turn back to Zipper, and as he did, his fur began ruffling.

The Stealth Expert became quite scared at that, because he knew it wasn't the wind that was causing Dale's fur to stand on end.

"Dale? Is something wrong?"

Dale brought up his right paw to his chest. Something was causing him unbelievable pain, something within him was sensing—

_DANGER…_

_**NIGHT OF THE STRIGIDÆ**_

_ Wings flapped._

"Code 936! Code 936! Any units respond to ultrasound alarm 936! Track ultrasonic SOS signals to a park in East Staten Island! Code 936! Code 936!"

_Is this what a moth feels just before it dies…?_

Foxglove took a direct hit on her right shoulder.

Otis took a direct hit on his head.

Rosie took a direct hit on her left side.

Feyyanna was able to dodge the stones, but not without slamming into Richard, who was on her right…

_"Ah! More rodents!"_

_"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"_

"Monty, run!" chattered Dale.

"Hey! Yew doen' hayave tew _yeyell_!"

"Your nose is broken!"

"…'ow's it look…?"

"Ahh, it's an improvement."

_**PREPARE FOR ABANDONMENT**_

The oak remained still, and its occupants made no sign they were there. But he knew they were there, as they should also be waking up by now.

The sky was a swath of blue and red, and a hint of dark blue off in the eastern horizon. A crescent moon hung just above the southwestern horizon, and an occasional bird fluttered through the sky.

There was an airplane now and then, but no bats.

She would not be coming back.

…a tear quenched that smouldering wick…

He tossed the contract in…

_**PREPARE FOR FORSAKING**_

The batmaid then turned and left her previous life forever.

The rings then sank to the bottom of his heart…

_**PREPARE FOR FEAR**_

Panic and fear enveloped him once more:

Panic and fear that had gripped the heart of the Comedian countless times before.

He could not escape them.

Unbelievable panic and unbelievable fear…

He tossed the card in…

_**PREPARE FOR ANGST**_

"But do you know what was the truly worst part? Chip, I was _cryin'_. And how many of you came after me?"

Silence.

Chip could not say a single word.

"Yeah, you're just barely noticin' that now, aren't you? Chip, I was _one second_ away from leavin' Paris and the Rescue Rangers forever, if that would have made you happy. Fortunately for you, I got hit on the head right before I went to the train station, on my way to the airport. And sure, later on you apologised, sayin' that the Rescue Rangers wouldn't be the same without me. And you said that you'd never doubt my abilities again. But tell me, Chip, _have_ you doubted my abilities after Paris?"

Chip froze again.

"Come on, Chip, I _dare_ you to say _no_…"

_**PREPARE FOR SADNESS**_

Pierre and Dalee stopped mixing ingredients and just looked sadly at each other, laying their ears against their heads…

Her tears were mixed with Dale's; they were on the floor too, as well as on her face. His woody/nutty/bubble-gummy/chocolaty scent was still mingled with her own. That final good-bye hurt, and it hurt so much, she actually reconsidered her threat of finding Fat Cat and feeding herself to him—

It made him cry because in a flash, memories of the past year and the previous night landed on him like an anvil. Memories of him and Foxglove so much enjoying sunrises and sunsets, memories of them about to get married yesterday, memories of the tragic events of last night, memories of the sudden realisation of who he was and what he was getting Foxglove into, memories of the talk they had…

_…oh no…no…_

He was so devastated and exhausted that he didn't bother going back…

The pain in his chest then reappeared with full force, making him think he had a black hole where his heart used to be…

His sorrow then mixed with anger…

_**PREPARE FOR ANGER**_

Gadget had to use every bit of self-control to avoid strangling this media representative. Her tail stiffened, and she tried not to growl…

"…Mister Maplewood, Miss Hackwrench, Mister Colby, Mister Lightringer, this conversation is _over_ and I will _not_ speak of it, with you _or_ with no shrink, _**ever**_—_**again**_! _DO YOU UNDERSTAND? __**EVER**_!"

_**PREPARE FOR WRATH**_

Dale calmly padded up to him, laid his ears back, grabbed him by his shirt, and began giving him a series of right hooks…

Dale had his ears down and his tail was as stiff as a board, and his countenance was one of total rage, matched only by the expression he had in Fat Cat's lair that other night…

_**PREPARE FOR HATRED**_

Suddenly, a monster stiffened her ears and tail and growled, _"I'LL KILL DALE FOR THIS!"_

_**PREPARE FOR PAIN**_

"Never better!" she replied, as she tried to stand from the pilot's seat while reaching for her trusty plunger harpoon.

As she did, a horrible squeak shot out of her throat.

_"My arm!"_ she finally vocalised moments later, with low ears and tail.

All three rodents looked at her arm.

The right coverall sleeve was torn, and her pelt had a deep gash in it. Her left hip was also in pain, but not as much as her arm was.

No time to lick wounds just yet…

_**PREPARE FOR FRUSTRATION**_

No, no more. The chipmunk did not turn around, not even to look at her. Dale had flatly refused her one more time…

_**PREPARE FOR DESPERATION**_

Foxglove drooped her ears and tail, read the printouts for the _n__th_ time, and then crumpled them up before throwing them aside…

_**PREPARE FOR DEPRESSION**_

True, he was most definitely depressed, but now, it seemed that he would eventually get used to this depression, and it appeared that Foxglove would get used to it as well.

But still, this was the life he had chosen, and all Foxglove had to do to get out of _her_ depression was find someone else who could keep her out of danger; to finally get her out of this life of danger where he nearly buried her in.

The lights dimmed.

The spotlight then shone on Chip, who was at the piano again, with his ears down. He began playing a slow and very depressing sequence.

_Oh, great,_ thought Dale. _That's __all__ I need now! More depressing music!_

Chip continued with that sequence, playing it over and over and over, letting it sink in. After the fourth repetition, he looked up to stage left, and nodded as if giving a cue.

Another spotlight then shone on Otis, also with drooped ears, who began,

_"Turn around—"_

_**PREPARE FOR DESTRUCTION**_

The wall fell on them.

Dale rolled over, shielding the cub with his body, hoping it would survive…

"Good-bye, my cubs."

_**PREPARE FOR A FUNERAL**_

He then turned to the pyre again, and contemplated it for a while. His gaze then drifted from the flames up to the sky, where the parts of his life were being dispersed…

"Good-bye, Foxglove."

_**PREPARE TO WEEP**_

They cried, cried, and _cried_, like they had never cried before…

Crying because of the pain of their broken hearts…

Crying because of all the physical pain they had felt…

Crying because of all the rejection they had received…

_Crying for what seemed like an eternity…_

_**PREPARE TO KILL INSTINCTS**_

She never understood why she did that…perhaps a salute that was custom-made for their particular organisation.

Since she associated that particular gesture with her evil days, Foxglove decided to ignore that impulse…

_**PREPARE TO KILL DREAMS**_

The sciurid sighed and turned away.

Pain was developing in _his_ chest now.

His tail drooped.

When the tamias turned to reply, the mus could not understand _why_ the same pain she saw in Dale's eyes was now in _Chip's_.

"Yes," he replied, with a very pained voice…

"…I love you with all my heart, but our love can never become what we want it to be. It's better if we leave things as they are…as…as they were before. It was wrong for us…for me…to try to change them…"

He tossed the veil in…

_**PREPARE TO KILL JOKES**_

"Hey, _that_ was funny."

The others looked at him with slight surprise.

"It was?" asked Zipper.

"Sure it was."

Chip then asked, "Then why aren't you _laughing_?"

He tossed the book in…

_**PREPARE TO KILL WISECRACKS**_

Chip lowered his ears was about to bonk him for that stupid remark, but then he suddenly realised that the remark was not stupid, and it was not even a remark, but a very well established and serious suggestion that would be for the benefit of the team…

_**PREPARE TO KILL LAUGHTER**_

He simply looked at the hallway and replied, "You're right, Gadget, but the thing that's eating me most right now is the fact that he doesn't laugh anymore. Comedians aren't the only ones who laugh. Everyone, not just comedians, laughs at one point or another, everyone except—"

"Good-bye, Segoleh…"

_**PREPARE TO KILL THE GOOF UP**_

But he had to admit, there were no foul-ups whatsoever. The case had been solved smoothly through perfect teamwork.

_Then why do I feel like I'm working with a stranger…?_

_**PREPARE TO KILL THE KLUTZ**_

"Hey, see, where'dya learn to punch like that?"

Another crack rang out, and the gangster was the last to fall.

"I read it somewhere," replied Dale, coldly, while shaking his right fist…

_**PREPARE TO KILL THE CLOWN**_

He looked up a trifle, and replied, "I don't. I…just had to kill the Clown that was hurtin' us all. It wasn't easy, but…the team is better off without him. And…I know you are too."

He tossed his shirt in…

_**PREPARE TO KILL THE COMEDIAN**_

No more jokes, no more wisecracks, no more stupid comments, nothing.

Dale simply couldn't look at that sight in particular…

"Good-bye, Dale…"

_**PREPARE TO MOURN**_

Gadget looked at her father's best friend with shock, pain, and confusion, and with low ears and tail, threw herself at him, and cried.

And the only other time that she cried that intensely was on the day her father died…

_**PREPARE TO DIE**_

_"Your friend is dying."_

_"I'm sorry to say that your friend __is__ dying."_

Darkness enveloped them…

An _empty_ darkness…

A _rushing_ darkness…

And finally…

…_oblivion_…

_**TRESS MACNEILLE**_

_"…Gadget…"_

_**COREY BURTON**_

_"…Foxglove…"_

_**TRESS MACNEILLE**_

_"…Chip…"_

_**JIM CUMMINGS**_

"Go a'ead and try it! I once wress'led with an African vulture back in Zimbabwe, an' I left that bloke featherless!"

_**COREY BURTON**_

"…Perhaps we can help you find a balance in—Dale? Dale?"

_**SUSAN BLU**_

"It's your choice, then! But…but in the meantime, here's something that _could_ be yours, if you only _tried_."

_**PETER CULLEN**_

"You…you don't _have_ to."

_**SUSAN BLU**_

"Nowe, yew _ain't_! Yew're dayen'!"

_**JACKIE BURROUGHS**_

"You really think I'm stupid, don't you…? You think I'm _unreasoning_? _Unintelligent…_?…I am a _GUARDIAN_!"

_**DEBORAH WALLEY**_

_"…Dale…"_

_**WITNESS THE**_

"Good-bye, Comedian."

_**DEATH OF A COMEDIAN, VERSION 2.0**_

"Why…did…the chicken…cross…the road…?"

_**BRING YOUR MOURNING ATTIRE…**_

_ And darkness fell on all of them…_

_**NEXT / NÄCHSTE / NÄSTA / A CONTINUACION / A SEGUIR**_


	2. PROLOGOS

[...unWARP!]

Good evening.

**PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION**

After giving "Let's Suppose Chip & Dale Behaved Slightly Differently After the Kidnapping" a thorough editing, I realised that this fanfic _also_ required a major overhaul. While it was two years in the making, and the last two months were dedicated to nothing _but_ checking and revision, with the help of my good friend, the tireless John Nowak, there were still a few things in the story that were, as I read them again, inconsistent with the series, punctuation slips, misheard lyrics, incomplete lyrics, errors in references to episodes, incorrect character descriptions, over-exaggerated accents, and a confusion of English and Spanish paragraph formatting.

So, this story is getting a second edition as well. With the additional text tools available both on MSWord and HTML, easier access to MP3 files, and much readier references available from DVDs and YouTube—instead of several audio and video tapes that nearly laid down their lives for the first edition—this edition will, hopefully, achieve what the first one couldn't.

There is also one additional chapter, a music video. Subsequent chapters will not be renumbered, though.

As with the previous story, the late Deborah Walley will remain credited as the voice of Foxglove.

Enjoy!

* * *

**PROLOGOS**

This is the continuation of the first ending of "Let's Suppose Chip And Dale Behaved Slightly Differently After The Kidnapping", based on Roy Neal Grissom's "Consummation". A continuation of the second ending will be coming later. Now, bring your mourning attire, because LAUGHTER is about to die in a certain home in New York City…

I would probably _also_ rate this PG-13…

_"Changing your lifestyle can be hazardous to your health." — The J.A.M._

Tress MacNeille

Corey Burton

Tress MacNeille

Jim Cummings

Corey Burton

Deborah Walley

witness the

**DEATH OF A COMEDIAN**

along with

Peter Cullen

Corey Burton

Frank Welker

Tara Charandoff

B.J. Ward

and

Noelle North

special appearances by

Susan Blu

and

Jackie Burroughs

Written by The J.A.M. (but please call me J.A.M.)

First edition proofread by John W. Nowak

_To our beloved "Enduring Man-Child", Roy Neal Grissom, without whom this story (and the previous one) would have never existed_

_To Tom and Stacy_

_To George and Natasha_

Please forgive the inevitable anachronisms, people…

* * *

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=LNXlDzP2_qQ )

_ "Good-bye, my wife."_

_ "Good-bye, my beloved husband."_

_

* * *

_

_ I really wanna see you._

_ I really wanna touch you._

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again._

_ I really wanna reach you,_

_ Forever to be with you._

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again…_

_ It was written in the stars,_

_ On the pages of my heart._

_ Oh, that someday I would find_

_ The love I feel for you tonight._

_ On the ocean of our dreams,_

_ Like a prayer you came to me._

_ And the longing that had been_

_ Found its ending in your eyes,_

_ And I am missing you tonight._

_ I really wanna see you._

_ I really wanna touch you._

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again—_

_ I really wanna reach you,_

_ Forever to be with you._

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again…_

_ Across the waves, across the sea_

_ Separating you from me,_

_ Here's a promise, and it's mine:_

_ I will love you for all time._

_ I'm wishing you were here tonight._

_ I really wanna see you._

_ I really wanna touch you._

_If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again—_

_ I really wanna reach you,_

_ Forever to be with you._

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again._

_ I really wanna see you!_

_ I really wanna touch you!_

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again!_

_ I really wanna reach you!_

_ Forever to be with you!_

_ If only I could hold you_

_ In my arms again…!_

_ IF ONLY I COULD SEE YOU!_

_ IF ONLY, ONLY I COULD REACH YOU!_

_ I WANNA HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS_

_ Again…_


	3. HEIS — THE DAY LAUGHTER DIED

**HEIS — THE DAY LAUGHTER DIED**

Chip awakened from another night's sleep.

Or so he thought, for when he looked at the clock on the wall he saw that it was six o'clock in the _evening_.

_Odd. Why did I sleep so late?_ he wondered. _Normally, only Dale sleeps in, but never this far…_

He got up and was about to shake Dale back into consciousness, but upon looking at the occupant of the top bunk, his sense of continuity was abruptly thrown out the window.

He laid his ears back in confusion.

_ Cheddarhead? What's he doing in Dale's bed—?_

It then all came back to him, much to his regret:

Yesterday was the big day when Dale and Foxglove were to be married, only it was interrupted by Fat Cat kidnapping Foxy. Dale passed out, and they couldn't wait for him to wake up, so the Rangers left him here with all the parents that came for the wedding, Tammy, Midge the Sparrow, and Otis the Bat. Their attempt to rescue Foxglove from Fat Cat's lair went awry and they were in need of rescue themselves, but they were rescued by Dale, Midge, Otis, and several hundred other bats, and just in the nick of time, too. While the rescue had been successful, for some reason his best friend was behaving as if Foxglove had been killed.

Then, at dinner, he suddenly broke down in tears and ran out the tree, with Foxglove following. He, too, was about to follow them, but Dale's father, Pierre, asked him to leave the two of them alone.

Something had quite obviously snapped within Dale, but what?

Exhaustion had prevented him from pondering on that, and they all retired to sleep for the day, with Dale's parents, Pierre and Dalee, sleeping in the new room; his father Chap and his uncle Phinehas sleeping with Monterey and Zipper; Camembert Kate, and his mom, Nikoma, sleeping with Gadget; and Tammy and Midge on the couch.

Chip got dressed and went to the living room. There was no one there, so he went to the kitchen and saw the others, except for Kate, preparing dinner again.

Neither Dale nor Foxglove were around, however.

Again, Pierre was a tough and burly sciurid, with a black nose and buckteeth and his brown fur beginning to grey slightly, and he was now wearing a dark grey shirt.

Dalee had a red nose and straight incisors, her fur was brown like Dale's, and she was clad in an orange dress.

Chap looked exactly like Chip, except for the greying and the wrinkles, and now donned a black leather jacket.

Nikoma had green eyes and brown fur with just a touch of grey, and had chosen for her attire a plain green dress, which accentuated her eyes.

"Anyone seen Dale or Foxy?"

Pierre and Dalee stopped mixing ingredients and just looked sadly at each other, laying their ears against their heads.

Gadget padded up to Chip and replied, "No, Chip. They haven't come back yet, and we're getting worried. Maybe we should go look for—"

_"No!"_

Everyone stopped breathing for one second, laid back stiff ears, and looked at Dale's parents.

"Er, no," repeated Pierre, more calmly. "Dale and Foxy are goin' through…somethin'…that can only be solved by _them_. Please, _please_ leave them alone until they come back."

Chip stared at Dale's father and exclaimed, "But they _haven't_ come back, Pierre! And it's been a whole day! Also, both of them _are_ Rescue Rangers, and as members of this team it is our duty—"

"Chip, please," interrupted Dalee, with a soft, sad voice. "We know Dale is your best friend, and we know you're worried, but, right now, this is somethin' between him and Foxy. We know, we…sorta went through the same thing."

Chip looked at Dalee for a moment, with slight suspicion.

"What?"

Pierre looked at his wife sadly for a moment, and replied, "I think we should talk about this in the morning, it's kinda long…"

* * *

A reddish light filtered through Dale's eyelids, waking him. Someone who was playing a radio a trifle too loudly just now may have also awakened him, but he wasn't too sure of that at this point. He opened his eyes to see the sun setting behind the skyline, announcing the end of the day. It was a beautiful sunset, so beautiful, it made him lay his ears back and cry.

It made him cry because in a flash, memories of the past year and the previous night landed on him like an anvil. Memories of him and Foxglove so much enjoying sunrises and sunsets, memories of them about to get married yesterday, memories of the tragic events of last night, memories of the sudden realisation of who he was and what he was getting Foxglove into, memories of the talk they had…

_…oh no…no…_

He noticed he was still in the tree across the clearing from the large oak he called home. He was so devastated and exhausted that he didn't bother going back, and had curled up in a crotch and cried himself to sleep. His cheeks and throat were matted from his tears, and Foxglove's, too. Her scent was still quite prevalent, emanating from his arms and torso. The pain in his chest then reappeared with full force, making him think he had a black hole where his heart used to be.

He tried to comfort himself:

_I did the right thing. Foxy doesn't deserve someone so hazardous and fickle like me. She'll be safe now, safe from me._

And despite her promise to return, it was more than obvious to him that she would not be coming back, ever. And he knew she knew that, too.

His sorrow then mixed with anger. His ears remained flat, but his tail stiffened:

_All this time, I never thought it would happen to me. What are we cursed or somethin'? Why do all Oakmonts have to go through this? All those stories my parents told me, they were sad, but I thought they were all coincidences. Now it happened to me. What's worse, it happened to Foxy too!_

Sitting up, he looked at the oak across the clearing, and then at the sky, with one last smouldering wick of hope.

The oak remained still, and its occupants made no sign they were there. But he knew they were there, as they should also be waking up by now.

The sky was a swath of blue and red, and a hint of dark blue off in the eastern horizon. A crescent moon hung just above the southwestern horizon, and an occasional bird fluttered through the sky.

There was an airplane now and then, but no bats.

She would not be coming back.

…a tear quenched that smouldering wick…

_If she knows what's good for her, she will stay away from me. From us. From our enemies._

For a moment, he thought that since Foxglove was gone, he should reinstate the competition between him and Chip over Gadget, but he quickly removed that thought from his mind.

_No. Chip loves Gadget, maybe more than I loved Foxy. If he's willin' to go through what Foxy and I went through, then he deserves her more than anybody. He's no klutz, so he'll probably make a better husband and father than me. If Gadget hasn't realised that yet, then maybe I should talk to her. She's blowin' the chance of a lifetime—_

He began sobbing uncontrollably again at this point, the unbelievable sorrow and grief and pain and anger within him overriding his desperate need for food.

_But no more. No more Goof-up, no more Klutz, no more Clown, no more Comedian, no more goofin' off, no more foolin' around, no more…gettin' girlfriends…in danger…no more gettin' your hormones and emotions in the way of duty! I'm a Crime-fighter for cryin' out loud! Crime-fighters and Comedians don't mix! No more…no more…no…more…_

Exhausted from his emotional disturbance and lack of nourishment, he cried himself to sleep again, with those words echoing all over his spirit, mind, and body, announcing the decision he had made:

_No more, no more, no more…_

* * *

The sunlight filtered through the western windows of the steeple, illuminating the painting of Noah's Ark. A breathtaking sight, so breathless, it made Foxglove cry; her tears flowing up her forehead, down to her ear tips, and dripping to the floor below. A radio that had apparently been playing a trifle loudly outside awakened her shortly before the spectacle began, and upon seeing the painting, she too, was hit full-force with memories that, more than fresh, were downright freezing.

How she wished Dale were here, to see this just one more time with her!

How she wished she didn't have to throw a stone at the window, (which had been replaced) in order to come in here again!

How she wished she could have said something that would have made Dale change his mind!

How she wished she had never fallen for Fat Cat's trick!

How she wished Dale had just a slightly different echolocation profile, so that she would not have detected him so easily!

How she wished she had never picked up Dale on her sonar and fallen head over heels in love with him in the first place!

How she wished Winifred had succeeded in becoming a full-fledged witch, and then turned her into a completely evil animal, incapable of feeling affection for anyone!

How she wished Bud had never captured her!

How she wished she had never fallen from her mother as she flew!

_HOW SHE WISHED SHE HAD NEVER BEEN BORN—!_

Her train of thought was derailed at that last wish, and she also began sobbing uncontrollably.

A few minutes later, she saw the blurred image of Noah's Ark start darkening as the night set in.

She told him she would return, eventually, but those were just words. He had released her, and she could not go back to him, ever. He wanted what was best for her, and he obviously thought _he_ wasn't the best, and would never be. And with enemies all around, she, and whatever cubs they had, would never be safe.

Looking down at the floor, she saw the spots her tears had made on the thin dust, mingled with pieces of broken glass, and the stone that she threw last night. Her tears were mixed with Dale's; they were on the floor too, as well as on her face. His woody/nutty/bubble-gummy/chocolaty scent was still mingled with her own. That final good-bye hurt, and it hurt so much, she actually reconsidered her threat of finding Fat Cat and feeding herself to him—

_No._

She told Dale she would try living with other bats; she at least owed that to him, as that was his parting wish.

Besides, it was obvious that Fat Cat and his cronies had most definitely removed chiropterids from their diet list after last night's saliva fest.

If she did not like her new life, then she would try something else, and if not, then she would try over and over until she found a lifestyle that would satisfy her, but the one thing she would not do was to fall in love again. The pain was too extreme. No chipmunks, no bats, either, no male of no species would have her heart offered to him ever again.

_"But if you do find someone else…drop me a line. I will feel better knowin' you are finally out of danger."_

She _would_ drop him a line: a note left on his doorstep in the middle of the night, a piece of paper with a lie written on it, a lie that would tell Dale that she was happily married and with two pups, with her and her fictitious family in no danger whatsoever, so maybe Dale would then forget her and try to find someone he truly deserved.

Instinct set in at this point and she released herself from her perch, flew out the window (the opening was large enough for her to fly through), and headed in a direction well away from the park.

As she rode the air currents, her sonar picked up two distressingly familiar signals: up ahead were two bats, and their flight paths were converging.

_Well, I guess my social life with bats begins now._

Catching up to them, she detected that both were female—

_—and one was carrying a pup._

The hexagonal knot in her throat connected with the black hole in her chest, causing her ears to droop somewhat.

Unable to speak, she tried not to look at or echosound at the pup. They did not say anything to her either, or to each other. Perhaps they were not among the chiropterids that attacked Fat Cat last night and thus did not recognise her.

Well and good.

They were headed for Staten Island, occasionally catching a few mosquitoes; perhaps there they would reach a larger feeding ground. Hopefully, no one there would recognise her, either.

She calmed down, gradually, as the distance between her and Dale increased with each flap of her wings.

And how she wished that right now, instead of being so far apart, she and Dale were as close as husband and wife could be, enjoying each other on their magical first time…


	4. DUO — IT'S AN OAKMONT THING

**DUO — IT'S AN OAKMONT THING**

"Dalee and I were both madly in love, as crazy for each other as Dale and Foxy were."

_Were?_ thought Chip, as everyone gathered in the living room.

"We were plannin' an enormous weddin', inviting every herbivore in our part of the forest, includin' deer and moose. One day before the ceremony, a lynx kidnapped Dalee. Now, that lynx was not your average woodland predator. He was downright _evil_, probably even more evil than your friend Fat Cat. He not only killed: he tortured his victims in the most horrible ways no human or animal has ever seen or thought. He seemed to be in a particular vendetta against us Oakmonts, since my ancestors befriended a family of bobcats and had some protection against him. I was enraged, as much as Dale was when he woke up. All the animals then gathered against that lynx, and we rescued Dalee. Now while she knew about the feud my family had with that lynx, she never expected somethin' so horrible like that to happen. And that lynx then went on to find a few allies of his own! I was so worried about Dalee, and I then realised that even with the bobcats, she and our cubs would be in constant danger. So, I wanted to let her go, but she refused. We got married and had Dale."

"But why let her go?" asked Gadget. "Couldn't you two have lived somewhere else?"

"That would have been the easiest thing to do," replied Dalee. "But it wasn't that simple. Pierre just couldn't leave his old homestead, and even if he did, he knew that the lynx would have hunted him down, _and found him_, no matter where he went. Also, he had a deep friendship with a bobcat, his name is Tac, even though _he_ pleaded him to move away. Pierre refused, thinkin' that it would be better if _I_ moved away and married someone without family feuds. Tac then changed his mind and insisted that Pierre marry me, and we finally did. The bobcats then doubled their surveillance, and the lynx and his allies were eventually defeated."

"Sounds like a 'appy endin' to me, mates." said Monterey.

Zipper added, "Yeah, I just hope this incident doesn't break up Dale and Foxy."

Pierre then looked at the overweight murid and his muscid friend, took a deep breath, and continued, "That's what we're afraid of, guys. You see, _every_ single male member of my family has gone through the same thing. You may think that all of this is a coincidence, but from the way it's been happenin', from the _pattern_ it has followed, and from what happened now, we know now that there is somethin', or someone, behind this. A 'family curse', if you wish to call it that."

"Sounds to me that you're just as superstitious as Dale," said Chip. "And just exactly what is this 'pattern' that your family is 'cursed' with?"

"Dalee got kidnapped, was rescued, and she married me. My father first fell in love with a flying squirrel, she was attacked by a marten, was rescued, but she left him, and he went on to marry a chipmunk. My grandfather fell in love with a squirrel, and she nearly died in a forest fire, but they eventually married. My great-grandfather first fell in love with a chipmunk, but she caught tuberculosis and died, and he married another. My great-great-grandfather fell in love with a buck-toothed hamster, she was captured by a wild dog, was rescued with the help of the bobcats, and they married. The list goes on and on."

The mammals, the insect, and the avian looked at the Oakmonts in disbelief.

Dalee resumed, "You see, every single generation of Oakmonts has been hit with either abduction, disease, or accidents, all right before the weddin'. And every 'other' generation of Oakmonts has lost their first fiancée, one way or another. And since Pierre got to keep me, I…I…" She lowered her ears and began to cry at this point, "I think Dale is going to lose Foxy!"

She wept on her husband's shoulder but was suddenly frightened, as well as everyone else, when Chip stood and banged his fists on the table, ears back and tail stiff.

"_No!"_ he chattered. "This is _insanity_! It's all a _coincidence_! Foxglove was _not_ killed! She would _never_ leave Dale! And he would _never_ let her go!"

Dale's father stood and glared at him, also with stiff ears and tail, "All right, Mister 'Detective', then _you_ explain why our family has gone through this…this…this _HELL_!"

Both sciurids breathed heavily and appeared to be ready to jump at each other.

Chip began to calm down, however, when he felt Gadget's paw on his shoulder.

Pierre, too, calmed down, as his wife held him close.

Tails relaxed and ears were raised again.

Slowly sitting back down, Pierre sighed, "Sorry, Chip, I guess my temper got the best of me."

"No, no, I shouldn't have started yelling. This is…a very sensitive issue. I should have been more understanding with you. I'm sorry too, Pierre." Breathing deeply for a few moments, Chip continued, "Now then, Pierre, let's say that this is indeed a family curse, or that someone secretly hates your family. Do you know when this pattern began?"

Pierre thought deeply for a moment, and replied, "This…this _curse_ began even before we got the Oakmont name. And since we started keepin' records only recently, I really can't tell you when it all began. I'm sorry, Chip, but for all we know, this could have started before our ancestors boarded Noah's Ark!"

Chip thought for a bit and then asked, "Are you completely sure that this has happened to _every_ single Oakmont generation? There haven't been any breaks in this pattern?"

"The pattern has held since before the Europeans arrived. Beyond that, I can't say the pattern hasn't been occasionally broken, but from what my grandfather told me, it has always been there."

Chip pondered again and said, "Then for all we know this pattern began spontaneously, and it could very much break spontaneously—"

"That's what I was hopin' for since the day I met Dalee," he replied through clenched incisors, lowering his ears.

"Now, now," said Chap, "Pierre, you can't just give up hope for Dale and Foxglove. This pattern could very much break with them! There's no reason why it shouldn't!"

"He's right," added Gadget. "A similar case would be the U.S. Presidency. Since 1820, every president that was elected in a year that ended in zero died in office, one way or another. As far as we know, that pattern began spontaneously, and was stopped spontaneously by Reagan, elected in 1980."

"But that's only 160 years of a 'spontaneous' pattern," said Nikoma. "The Oakmont's streak has existed since before Columbus, or even the last ice age!"

Chip interrupted, "Guys, what I'm saying is this: There's no way to find out how this all began. Hence, there's no way to find out how to end it. But, there's nothing that can prove that this pattern has _not_ been broken before. In Dale's case, Foxglove was abducted, but she was not murdered, made sick, or killed in an accident. And judging from Dale's behaviour, there's _no way_ he's going to let Foxglove go. And don't even _think_ Foxglove is going to leave Dale. Sheesh, they would have probably gotten married right after the Winifred Case if Dale hadn't been so shy! Look, Pierre, I think my dad is right. There is no reason why this pattern cannot break now. This whole incident may just as well bring Dale and Foxy even closer than ever before! For all we know, they could have gone to the nearest justice of the peace, gotten married right there and then, and right now they could be on their way to Bermuda!"

Pierre then looked at his son's best friend's eyes, raised his ears, and asked, "Then why was he hurtin'?"

Chip sat back at that question. "Huh?"

"You saw the look in his eyes. It was the same look I had when I told Dalee I was goin' to let her go. I was goin' to remain single and let the Oakmont line _die_…" his voice cracked, "…to end the curse. I didn't want my cubs, or their cubs after them, to go through the hell this family has been put through. And his reaction was an exact copy of what I did 25 years ago!"

Pierre laid his ears back again and began to cry and snarl at the same time, while digging his claws on the table, "It…it was like watching a re-run on TV! Or even worse, it was like watchin' a ghost of myself, my father, my grandfather, every single ancestor, all rolled into one tortured '_munk_…!"

Dalee held her husband tighter as he tried to remain dignified before his friends.

Chip, however, did not know what to make of that. Dale was in pain; perhaps it was because he thought the curse had landed on him. But Foxglove was safe, and there was absolutely no reason for him to break up with Foxglove at the last moment!

"Is that why you didn't want us to go after them?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Dalee. "We didn't want you to see history being repeated."

"Blimey!" squeaked Cheddarhead, gruffly. "You don't know if _that_ was what 'appened! I say Chippah's roight and those two are 'itting it off right now—!"

"Watch yore language, ya big lug!" said Camembert, slapping the back of his head. "There are cubs present!"

"Where?" asked Tammy and Midge at the same time.

Chip then tried to regain control of the conversation, "Listen, guys, the fact is that Dale and Foxglove have been missing for over 24 hours now, and I think we should start looking for them. From Dale's behaviour, they _could_ be on their honeymoon right now, but I _know_ he'd _at least_ leave us a note telling us where they were going. And if they're _not_ on their honeymoon, then they just _might_ be in trouble _again_! But those two breaking up, Pierre…I'm sorry, but I just don't see any motive in that! They love each other so much, they're absolutely inseparable!"

Pierre then turned and looked at the wristwatch hanging on the wall.

09:28

He then looked back at Chip and said, "Dale will come in here right now, and when he does, we'll see about that. And you don't know how much I have prayed that this pattern would break right here, right now—"

Phinehas interrupted, "And just how do you know he's going to come in at this very moment—"

The front door opened.

Everyone turned and saw a familiar rodent standing there.

All ears and tails drooped at this point.

Pierre and Dalee's hearts sank when they saw him standing…

_…alone…_


	5. TREIS — A SEARCH BEGINS

**TREIS — A SEARCH BEGINS**

Staten Island was not exactly a new place for Foxglove; she had been here before. Still, she felt more than a trifle self-conscious when she reached the garbage dump and began feeding, because this was the first time in a long while that she fed with other bats. And from the looks and echosoundings they were giving her, she knew that several of them thought they recognised her.

Still, there were plenty of insects for everybody (though she couldn't bring herself to eat flies), and she tried to blend in.

As the night wore on, however, she started getting increasingly nervous. Several male chiropterids flew up and tried to start conversations with her, but she quickly banked and flew away from them. And one male pipistrell in particular seemed to be echosounding at her _very_ closely. At first, she regarded that as normal, but when she heard him continuing scanning her with more and more intensity, she decided enough was enough and left the dump.

She didn't get too far, however.

"Foxglove?"

Her ears perked up. She turned around and heard—

"Otis!"

She had been found by the "chiropterid representative" of their wedding, not to mention the same one who helped round up a myriad of bats to assist in her rescue. Politely, she let him catch up to her.

Flying up to her, he continued, "Foxglove! It _is_ you! I _thought_ I heard your profile, but I couldn't believe _you_ would be _here_! I thought I was getting a sore throat or something, or that I needed to get my ears cleaned."

They turned and headed back to the dump, now that Foxglove realised she had nothing to fear.

"Well, yes, Otis, your throat and ears are just fine. It _is_ me. It's just that…when you were echosounding at me so loudly, I thought you had…other things in mind."

Ashamed, he replied, "Oh…um…well…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to make sure you were you. I'm sorry I made you think otherwise."

Trying to change the subject, he asked, "And what are you doing here, anyways? Aren't you supposed to be getting married? And…are you all right?" Otis had noticed the matted fur on her face.

Foxglove's throat tightened again and her ears went limp. What on earth could she say to that? She simply could _not_ spill the beans right now, not in the middle of this crowd!

"Er…well…we…um…decided to wait…sort of…until we both calmed down…and…and…we decided…to take a break…for a while…and…and…I'm all right…really…I just haven't groomed my face yet…"

She simply could not tell him they had broken up, as he then would probably begin to court her. She also tried not to notice his handsome features, and the only way to do that was to think of him as her possible long-lost brother—

"Um…Otis…actually, the real reason…I'm here is because…because I need to find my family. Any family. I _really_ need someone of my family present at the wedding, even if it is a distant cousin. The ceremony…can't be totally legal without witnesses from _both_ families. And…and…I need your help."

Both of them banked and hovered suddenly, echosounding at each other for a moment.

That was the first time Foxglove had asked for help from someone other than the Rescue Rangers.

"Really?" he asked. "Then why aren't the other Rangers helping you? Or are they looking somewhere else—?"

_"Yes!" _she blurted, trying to keep his mind away from Dale, and startling the male in front of her. "The others…are searching other areas…I was assigned this place, and…and I will need your help. First, we will need to gather any couples or mothers who lost their pups several years ago. Then…we will need to…screen them…somehow…"

"Wow, Foxglove, you're a very good detective! And you've learned that from your friends, didn't you? You must be really proud to be a Rescue Ranger."

The knot intensified and she could barely speak,

"Yes, I know…I…am…"

For she could simply not tell him that she was a Rescue Ranger no longer…


	6. TESSARES — DALE'S LAMENT: I AWOKE AND

**TESSARES — DALE'S LAMENT: I AWOKE AND LAUGHED NO MORE**

"Dale, where's Foxglove?"

The other tamias turned and replied, lowering his ears, slightly annoyed, "I'm just fine, Chip. Excuse me, I need some breakfast."

With that, Dale padded into the kitchen, with his parents following.

Everyone feared the worst at this point.

Chip then stood, ran out the door, and looked outside.

It was another fine day, with partly cloudy skies.

A perfect day to get married.

Foxglove wasn't there.

"No," he growled. "_No!_ You _didn't! You're stupid, but not that stupid!"_ He whirled and saw Gadget at the door, looking at him with her ears as flat against her head as his were.

Chip tried to reason, "No. Foxglove must have gone into emotional shock. He must have comforted her, and had her sleep some place away from the park. There is _no reason_ why he can't marry her! _No reason!"_

Gadget then took hold of his arm and led him back inside. "Chip, I hope you're right. But now, only Dale can tell us what happened, and he's going to need some time before he can tell us."

The sciurid shook his head in denial, "He won't _need_ time! Foxglove is coming back here by sunset, and everything is going to be perfectly fine for both of them!"

Gadget shut the door, led him to the couch, and sat him down. She was about to hold him close too, but another knock on the door interrupted her.

Everyone perked their ears, looked at the door again, and prayed dearly that Foxglove would be there.

The Inventor dashed to the door, and opening it, asked, "Foxy?"

"No, my name is Clark Jent. I'm a reporter for the _Fur and Feather Journal and Picayune_."

Everyone stared at the tall brown ferret, who wore a red shirt and white cap.

"I was sent here two days ago to cover a wedding for our social column, a wedding of one…" he pulled out a paper from his right pocket, "…Dale Oakmont and one Foxglove…no last name. A male chipmunk and a female bat; interesting combination, I might say. I got to the pond just after you all learned that one of your enemies had kidnapped the bride. Our sources tell us that you Rescue Rangers successfully rescued the bride and defeated your enemy. Are she and the groom in right now? I'd like to interview them—"

Gadget eyes flashed with sudden anger as she interrupted, "The bride and groom are indisposed right now, Mr. Jent." Pausing for a moment, she added, laying her ears back. "And now that you mention it, so are we."

"Still? Hmm, I _thought_ I had given you guys enough time to recover from the emotional shock that the incident might have brought. My boss wanted me to come yesterday, but I asked him to be patient." Gadget calmed down and raised her ears again, but only for a moment, as Clark continued, "Still, I have a column to fill. Could you 'fill' me in on the facts of the kidnapping and rescue?"

When Gadget replied, with low ears again, even _she_ was surprised to hear her voice somewhat lower, "I _could_, but I _really_ don't feel like it right now, Mr. Jent!"

"All right, we'll skip that. What will happen to the wedding now?"

Gadget's mind went blank for 1.45 seconds upon hearing that question. She _didn't_ want to give the press something that would make their enemies feel victorious.

Thinking for another 6.83 seconds, she replied, "The wedding has been postponed, Mr. Jent."

"Really?" he asked casually. "I already knew that. And when is the new ceremony going to be held?"

Gadget had to use every bit of self-control to avoid strangling this media representative. Her tail stiffened, and she tried not to growl, "The wedding has been postponed, Mr. Jent. For security reasons, it will be held in an undisclosed place at an undisclosed time, both of which will be disclosed to you one day later. Good-bye."

The ferret was about to ask another question but before he even finished taking his next breath the door was already shut.

With angry ears and tail, Gadget went over to the couch and sat next to Chip.

"Postponed?" he asked.

"I hope."

* * *

Dale opened the cupboard and was about to get a candy bar, but then, something within him held him back.

Or, it was something that wasn't in him anymore.

He felt confused for a moment, seeing that he simply couldn't bring himself to get his favourite food.

With a sigh, he closed the cupboard, opened the refrigerator, and pulled out an eighth of an apple. He sat at the table and practically had to force the food down his throat.

His parents, looking at him with unbelievable sadness and with drooped ears and tails, slowly sat in front of him.

His mother fearfully began, "Dale? What…what happened?"

Dale returned a blank stare, swallowed, and replied with a sigh, "What was supposed to happen…what…what happened to Grandpa."

His parents' hearts finished breaking at this point. Both reached out to hold his paws, pausing his breakfast momentarily.

Pierre said, "Dale, we're so sorry. But you already know the whole story. You know that you can't lose hope because it won't happen—"

"Again, yes, I know," Dale stated, pulling back, lowering his ears. "Not with me, at least. No sirree, this generation has paid its toll. But Dad," he looked at Pierre's eyes, "It _can_ happen again, with whoever comes after me, and whoever follows _him_! It's never goin' to stop!"

Remembering Chip's words, Dalee said, "Well, now dear, we don't know that for sure. For all we know this could stop at any momen—"

"It already did," interrupted the young tamias.

"What?" she asked in confusion, raising her ears, as did Pierre.

"I said it already stopped. I finally figured out how to stop this, and I'm _puttin'_ a stop to this."

His parents looked at him even more confusedly.

"You figured it out?" asked Pierre, with annoyance added to his confusion. "Then why didn't you do somethin' before?"

Again, Dale looked at his father with the same seriousness of the tragic night.

"Because the Goof-up, the Klutz, the Clown, and the Comedian convinced me not to."

"Dale! Don't talk about your friends that way!" exclaimed Dalee, ears stiffened.

Dale looked at her and sighed, "Mom, I'm talkin' about _me_. For a long time _I've_ been all those things. And all those things pushed me into doin' somethin' I _knew_ would lead to disaster. But I know better now. I'm puttin' a stop to this. It won't happen again because I'm gettin' _rid_ of the Goof-up, the Klutz, the Clown, and the Comedian…and it won't happen again because…"

Dale gritted his incisors for a moment, trying to push back the pain of what he was going to say,

"…Because I'm _not_ goin' through this again."

He just couldn't look at his parents' faces now. He stared at the table, trying to make himself eat again.

"Wh-what?" asked Dalee, drooping her ears and beginning to cry again.

Dale looked up a trifle and continued, "Mom, Dad, you heard me. I'm not goin' to pass this torch from Hell to _anyone_, much less my cub and grandcub. And the only way I can put a stop to this…is if I put a stop to _us_. Mom, Dad, I'm not goin' to try again. I'm…" the pain was so intense he nearly threw up, "…I'm…remainin' single. I…won't look for anyone else. The only way this curse will die is if the Oakmonts die. And I've decided to let the curse die with me. No more Oakmonts will suffer this pain from Hell."

He sat back and sighed, reflecting, "Maybe this will be the smartest thing I've ever done, with all the goof-ups I've caused—"

Like watching a re-run on TV.

An exact copy of his exact thoughts 25 years ago.

And not only thoughts, but now, thoughts brought to action: an _execution_.

A ghost of himself, his father, his grandfather, every single ancestor, all rolled into one tortured_ 'munk_…

That last statement caused Pierre to lay his ears back, stiffen his tail, grind his incisors, sink his claws on the table, stand slowly with an incredible rage, and snarl, _"DALE SEGOLEH OAKMONT—!"_

Dale almost lowered his ears, shivered, and cowered when he heard his father call him by his full name, but a previous decision kept his serious look on his face.

"Oh, by the way, Dad, I'm gettin' rid of that name as well."

Pierre enraged even more and leaned closer to his son. _"What? _You mean you're killin' your Mohawk roots before their time as well? Why not just kill yourself and us right now?"

Dale continued calmly, "No, Dad, _I_ already died. I died the other night. And I should have said 'I'm _changin'_ that name as well'. _'He Who Laughs'_ simply can't be a part of me anymore, not after all the damage he's caused up to now."

Dale's parents were speechless again for a moment, so he explained, "Dad, I'm not cuttin' off my roots. I'm just adjustin' them to the decision I made. As of today, I'm Dale _Hastahah_ Oakmont."

Dalee gasped, paled, and nearly fainted. Her whole life flashed before her eyes for a moment, or more precisely, just the day of Dale's birth, and she remembered how instead of crying or whimpering, the cub made strange noises that almost sounded like _laughter_.

Now, her son was not only rejecting the name they had given him, which had proved to be quite prophetic, but he was now replacing it with its exact opposite.

Even more shocked and enraged, especially by seeing his wife's reactions, Pierre snarled again, "But Dale, you can't change who you are by just changin' your name!"

Dale replied with a deathly calm, "You're right, Dad, but I'm changin' my name _because_ I'm changin' who I am."

With veins nearly standing out from his neck fur, Pierre asked, "Well, _'He Who Grieves'_, just _what_ will you be grieving at?"

Dale looked at his parents, then he looked down again, and sighed, "At what else? At the death of the Oakmont line. At the death of Dale and Foxglove. At the death of a Goof-up, a Klutz, a Clown…"

His heart collapsed within him once more, as his voice cracked:

_"…at the death of a Comedian…"_

Pierre would have beaten the tar out of his son, but Dale's tone of voice, the shock, and the suddenness of a nearly literal death caused him to freeze after he stood. His whole body trembled as his eyes reddened.

Finally, he just leaned over and hugged his son tight, whimpering.

Dalee, too, broke down in tears and hugged them both.

But Dale didn't cry, for some reason…

* * *

One hour later, a freshly showered sciurid stood outside the front door, looking at the sky, ears up and tail relaxed. No chiropterid tears or scent remained on him now. He still refused to talk to the other Rangers, and that was getting just a trifle unnerving for them. But he would tell them, eventually, if they didn't know about it already.

At this point, his parents padded outside and hugged him.

"Give us a call whenever you need us," said Pierre, with sad ears and tail.

"I will."

"Oh, Dale, are you _sure_ you won't come home with us, even for a little while?" sobbed Dalee.

"I'm sure, mom. I…I've got a job here. An important one. I can't let my feelin's get in the way of rescuin' others. But I _will_ keep in touch. And…I'm sorry you came all the way here for nothin'."

Pierre said, "You…did what you had to do, son."

With that, they kissed him good-bye and climbed down the tree.

And they both knew that they would be the only couple in their part of the forest without grandcubs…

* * *

Chap, Nikoma, and Phinehas gave their farewells to the other Rangers and padded outside. Their features also expressed their sadness.

"Are you _sure_ you're gonna be all right?"

"I'm sure, Chap."

"You'd better. I think Chip's taking this worse than _you_ are!"

"I'll talk to him, Nikoma. I'll talk to all of them. I…have to move on. And, Phinehas, I'm sorry you never got to do the ceremony. I'm sure you had somethin' big in mind, but…maybe you'll be able to do it with Chip."

"Now, Dale, don't you keep talking that way. For some reason, I don't think this whole thing is over yet—"

"Phinehas, please, just forget the whole thing. It's over…it's…over…"

Chip's relatives then hugged Dale and left.

* * *

Cheddarhead and Camembert followed. Their ears and tails were down as well.

"Dale, lad, I must say that this is the first divorce I've seen that 'appens afore the weddin'," said Camembert.

"My first time, too," replied Dale. "I suppose you two know how I feel—"

"No, we don't," stated Cheddarhead. "We may be divorced, but that was 'cause of differences that came o'er the years. You…you released the one you loved…because you loved 'er. We're sorry, lad."

Monterey's parents hugged Dale and left.

* * *

Midge hopped out and said, "Dale, I'm so sorry about this—"

"I'm sorry you flew all the way over here. And, thanks for your help. I couldn't have rescued—" The chipmunk choked on that last word and simply hugged the bird. Moments later, they broke. "Keep in touch, will you?"

"I will. So long, friend." With that, the sparrowmaid flew off.

* * *

Tammy had just kissed Chip good-bye, and for some reason, he did not mind that, and nor did Gadget. She padded outside and looked at Dale.

She was about to give her condolences too, but her words disintegrated in her throat. Her eyes welled up, her ears and tail drooped, and she embraced the chipmunk tightly, sobbing on his shoulder.

Dale did not cry.

He already did that the other night…

A few moments later, he said, "Please, Tammy, you _really_ should go home now. Your mom and sister are probably very worried about you."

The teenage squirrelmaid looked at the chipmunk and could only reply, "Oh, Dale, I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" Abruptly, she released him and ran back home.

Dale sadly saw her run off. From her reactions, one would think _she_ was the one who lost a loved one.

Looking at the sky one last time, Dale padded back inside.

He'd have to stop looking at the sky that way now…

* * *

The other Rangers were waiting for him in the living room, so he padded up to them and casually asked, "Okay, guys, what's our next case?"

Chip then jumped at him and bonked him with the biggest bonk he had ever given him, so big, he actually hurt his left paw in the process.

Before Dale could recover, Chip grabbed his Hawaiian shirt and slammed Dale's back into the wall.

_"DALE, WHERE IS FOXGLOVE,"_ he growled, laying back his ears and stiffening his tail.

The others were shocked at Chip's behaviour, but Dale remained calm, as if nothing had happened. "She's probably sleepin' right now. Why?"

Looking at him with mad eyes, Chip growled, _"I'M GOING TO ASK THIS AGAIN, DALE: WHERE…IS…FOXGLOVE."_

"I don't know, Chip. Now please let go of my shirt."

Chip, suddenly aware of his temper, slowly released his grip, brought his ears up again, relaxed his tail, and asked him more calmly, "Dale…Dale…what…what happened?"

Dale wasn't sure if he wanted to re-live the events of the other night. But still, the others deserved to know.

They _had_ to know.

"Chip, why did you guys leave me here and fly off to rescue Foxglove without me?"

The others were somewhat surprised at that question, thusly lowering their ears, except for Zipper.

Chip replied, "Um, well, Dale, because you fainted, and we couldn't wait for you to wake up."

"And?"

Chip looked at him as if _he_ were the one being interrogated. "And…and…because she needed help right away…"

"And?"

"And…because…because…we knew you'd go berserk. We saw things that would have made you…made you—"

"Mess everythin' up, _again_?"

"Yes…NO! I mean—"

"It's okay, Chip, you…you made the right decision. I'm…I'm glad I didn't see the things you saw. I…could have gotten everyone killed."

Chip wondered if Dale was reading his mind, particularly in a chapter _he_ didn't even know existed.

"But what about Foxglove?" asked Zipper.

Dale took a deep breath and replied, "Guys, I'm sorry we made you build the new room. And…I'm sorry for all the times I fooled around and messed things up. It won't happen again anymore. As for Foxglove…well, guys…I…I let her go."

Shocked beyond explanation, the Rangers looked at him with slack jaws, ears, and tails.

Moments later, Gadget laid her ears back and whimpered, "B-but…why?"

"For the same reason you never chose me."

Gadget's mind, as well as everyone else's, went blank.

Dale explained, "Gadget, it all became clear to me the other night. You didn't choose me, and you were right by not choosin' me. Foxglove…and you…deserve someone who won't faint when you need help, someone who won't go berserk and put you in danger, someone who won't fool around and get bonked on the head over and over and over—" Chip winced here, "—someone without horrible enemies who want to kill you…or your cubs…and that very much leaves me out of it. Foxglove's gone to live with the bats."

The others simply could not believe they were hearing that, and much less hearing it from _Dale_.

"But don't feel too bad. I…I'm kinda relieved we all found out about this before we made a stupid decision. Strange, isn't it? It was _Fat Cat_—our enemy—who stopped us from makin' a _huge_ mistake! And…there will be no more messin' up by me. No more wisecracks, no more practical jokes, no more goofin' off, no more clownin' around, no more stupid comments, no more jokes, nothin'. The Comedian is dead. From now on, I'm a full-blooded Rescue Ranger. Now, do we have a next case?"

Chip stuttered, "Um, well, no, but—"

"Then are we goin' to _look_ for a case?"

"N-no. Dale—"

"All right, then, excuse me. I've got things to do."

With that, he padded back to his room.

The others just looked at him pad to the hallway, and then they turned to each other, stupefied.

Moments later, Chip enraged once more and stormed off after his best friend, leaving Monterey, Gadget, and Zipper by themselves.

"He…he…let her go…" she sobbed.

Monterey could only reply with sad ears and tail, "I…I know, luv. But maybe Dale did somethin' roight for a change. You know the sayin': If you luv somethin', let it go…"

"If it comes back…it's yours forever…" she continued.

Zipper finished, "And if it doesn't, it wasn't yours to begin with…"

Gadget looked at her father's best friend with shock, pain, and confusion, and with low ears and tail, threw herself at him, and cried.

And the only other time that she cried that intensely was on the day her father died…

* * *

Chip stormed into his room and saw Dale packing all of his comic books and joke books into an empty milk carton.

Dale turned and asked, "Say, Chip, can I borrow one of your Sureluck Jones novels—?"

_"DALEWHATINTHE######HELLDOYOU######THINKYOU'RE######DOING!"_

Dale looked at his best friend more than surprised at that outburst, "I'm packin' away my comics, do you have a problem with that? Gosh, Chip, I never thought I'd see the day I'd hear you cuss like that—"

_"__THAT'S BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN SO SHOCKED AT YOU BEFORE, DALE__,"_ he growled in response, and breathing _very_ audibly. His ears were again against his head, and his tail was as stiff as a board.

"What'swrongwithputtin'awaycomicbooks?" he asked, also beginning to get riled.

"DALE**WHAT**AREYOUDOING?"

Dale sighed, stood up straight, padded over to him, looked at him in the eye, and replied, "WhatdoesitlooklikeI'mdoin'? I'mburyin'myoldlife."

Calming down somewhat, relaxing his tail, and raising his ears, Chip asked, "Dale, what…_what—about—Foxy_?"

Dale sighed again, "She's better off without me. We realised that the other night."

Chip's mind simply could not register that fact. "Whatdoyoumean'better'? Youtwowereperfectforeachother!"

_"Perfect?"_ he spat. "Now_ that's _an interestin' word to describe me, especially when it's comin' from _you_!"

Chip stood back a moment and lowered his ears upon hearing that accusation.

"Andjust_what_doyoumeanbythat?" he spat back.

Dale looked at him for a moment as pain once again filled his eyes. Finally, he explained, "Do you know what it feels like to be insignificant, Chip?"

"Huh?"

Dale laid his ears back and explained, "Sure. To see your friends—people you would gladly lay down your life for without hesitation—cringe when you offer to help them with somethin'. And to have your advice, input and thoughts on _any_ topic be instantly dismissed as worthless?"

Chip suddenly felt all his blood pool to his foot-paws. He never knew…

"You, Chip, on more than one occasion were ready to believe that I had lost my mind before you were willin' to believe that I was right about somethin'."

Chip suddenly felt a deathblow himself.

"Or Gadget, of all people! Her words are _still_ ringin' in my ears all this time: When we were in South America, tryin' to find who was stealin' those cacao trees, and when I showed you all where the trees were taken, Gadget uttered those cruel words, _'Golly! Could Dale be right after all?'_ As if the very idea of me bein' right about somethin' was utterly unimaginable to her! I would have expected words like that from _you_, Chip, but not her. That…that was the worst part…" Dale turned away for a moment.

Chip was now robbed of all speech. That was certainly something he had _never_ considered.

"Actually, no, that _wasn't_ the worst part," he continued, turning back to Chip. "The worst was Paris. Chip, even though that nozzle exploded on me, I _knew_ I had messed up again. I _knew_ I shouldn't have tried to get more cream. But all I wanted was a little slack from _you. You_, being a Detective, should have used your powers of observation to see that the nozzle was faulty from the start. Still, you had every right to be angry with me, but you didn't have to say that the Rescue Rangers would be better off without me."

"Well, they wouldn't be—"

"Of course not, Detective. How long did it take you to get out of that sewer?"

Once again, Chip felt another blow. It was because of the absence Dale's sensitive nose that they took so long in finding their way to the correct storm drain.

"But that wasn't the end of it. I really thought Gadget was going to back me up, with her bein' so smart and knowin' what was wrong with the nozzle. But she called me a Goof-up as well, as did Zipper. And did you think I didn't notice the way she said it? Monty was 'kinder', you might say, by callin' me a 'Comic Relief', but _at least_ he already apologised for that! And then you told me to do somethin' I wouldn't mess up: _sight-seein'_. And do you think I didn't hear you say that I would learn my lesson if you solved that case by yourselves?"

"Dale, I—"

"But do you know what was the truly worst part? Chip, I was _cryin'_. And how many of you came after me?"

Silence.

Chip could not say a single word.

"Yeah, you're just barely noticin' that now, aren't you? Chip, I was _one second_ away from leavin' Paris and the Rescue Rangers forever, if that would have made you happy. Fortunately for you, I got hit on the head right before I went to the train station, on my way to the airport. And sure, later on you apologised, sayin' that the Rescue Rangers wouldn't be the same without me. And you said that you'd never doubt my abilities again. But tell me, Chip, _have_ you doubted my abilities after Paris?"

Chip froze again.

"Come on, Chip, I _dare_ you to say _no_."

Dale crossed his arms and waited one minute, but his fearless leader/best friend would not say a word.

"And not only you, my best friend, but Zipper, Monty, and _Gadget_ as well! Boy, how I wanted to speak out. Of course, I couldn't tell her that her words or her lack of faith in me was deeply woundin', otherwise it would have hurt her feelin's. Which would have prompted _you_ to bonk me on the head for not being considerate of _her_ feelin's! Am I right, Mister Maplewood?"

Despite all his outward denial, Chip knew, he _knew_ that those would have been his exact reactions.

"I've admired you from the first day we met, Chip. When you decided to make a rescue and detective organization, I jumped right in. I was your best friend _and_ I wanted to feel important. But do you think it's been easy for me bein' a Rescue Ranger? Here I am, day after day, surrounded by a detective who is equal to or better than Sureluck Jones, an inventor who can build things that baffle science, a legendary adventurer, a fly who can knock you down once he finds your balance point, and here I am, Dale: the Cowardly, Dim-witted Klutz!"

"D-Dale—"

"Do you have any idea how small and unimportant I have felt _bein'_ a part of this group? It often feels that if it wasn't for occasional bits of dumb luck, my presence would add nothin'."

"Now Dale, that's not—"

"Have _you_ ever felt insignificant, Chip?" he interrupted, derailing Chip's train of thought once again. Before he could even think about the answer, Dale continued, "I think not, but I have, _all—my—life_! You think you're so tough and bold, Chip, or _any_ of you for that matter. Try paddin' in my shoes for just _one day_ and know what it feels like to be worthless. What if Gadget lost her prodigious intellect? Would you start bonkin' _her_ on the head if she started doin' or sayin' dumb things?"

Once more, Chip stood in shock. He had never considered that option, not in the least.

"What if Monty wasn't big and strong? What if Zipper suddenly started makin' jokes and wisecracks? What if _you_ lost your detective abilities? Imagine those things and know what it's like to be Dale. What it's like to be the Comedian."

Chip was not only robbed of all speech, but of all thought as well. So many things he had taken for granted, so many things he had overlooked, so many times he, and the others, had hurt Dale without even knowing it.

Dale looked away from him for a moment, and continued, "Even before we came to the city, it has always been like that. You know we've not only fought for Gadget, but for other females as well. And they all seemed to like _you_ better. And even those who remotely _seemed_ to like me more…Chip, I've never heard from them again. They talked to me once or twice, and they've never come back." He then counted off his digits, "Not Clarissa, not Clarice, not Chi-Chi, not Lucy, _none of them ever came back_!"

Dale fumed to himself for a moment, trying to control his rage.

He continued with stiff ears and tail, "If I suddenly left, I know now that Gadget would not even _think_ of goin' after me, just like the time in Paris! _She_ would be _another_ who would simply _not_ come back and _never_ give another thought about me _again_!"

"Nowyoujustholdonthere—"

_"I'MNOTFINISHEDHERE,"_ Dale suddenly growled.

He paused again, as his throat knotted once more, and as his chest pressed against him as well.

"But…but then, one fine night, I found myself fallin' twenty feet off a lamppost—by my stupidity again, what a surprise—and out of nowhere, a bat flew by and saved my life. Not five seconds later, she began flirtin' with me. Chip, she had never seen me before, she didn't know me or what I did, or even my name…_I_DIDN'TKNOWHERNAME######IT! And then she started lookin' at me like no female has ever looked at me before. Not Clarissa, not Clarice, not Chi-Chi, not Lucy, much less _Gadget_ had ever looked at me like that. Chip…I was scared to death of her. Not just because she was a bat and of all the things I _thought_ I knew about bats…but…"

Dale's paws trembled a trifle, as finally, his actions and thoughts and feelings coalesced into words, "…but because she thought of me as _significant_, Chip. No one's ever thought of me that way before. Not _you_, not _Gadget_, not _Monty_, not _Zipper_, not those other females, _no one_. I had no idea how to react other than to push her away. When she left the first time, I thought I was right, as you were _always_ right: that I really _was_ insignificant and she never really meant anythin' of what she did to me, and that she was _exactly_ like all the other females who had even _bothered_ to talk to me. Then…then…"

He paused again, as his voice nearly cracked.

"…Then she came back, Chip."

Dale's eyes were filled with pain once more. "No one has ever done that to me. She…she was the first one to ever came back…to _me_, Chip…she came _back—to—me_. I had _no idea_ what to do. And…and…so I…I got scared all over again. I decided to try to be a good friend and not say anythin' that would hurt her feelin's—which I _still_ stupidly messed up again, what a surprise—and…then I suddenly saw that I'd lost her to a _radio_. You know, I was _about_ to tell her that she could take her radio back to her home, thinkin' she would and then she and her radio would never come back and live happily ever after, 'the end'. But…when she got captured by those humans…I…_I_…felt captured too, Chip. I didn't know what was happenin' to me. Until I looked at her eyes. And then everythin' fell into place. Finally, I had someone who really, _really_ believed in me. Someone who _wouldn't_ consider my ideas insignificant or worthless. Someone who _gladly_ accepted my help. Someone who _wanted_ to hear my thoughts and ideas. Someone who _loved_ the Comedian. I felt _important_, Chip. I finally thought that after all this time, I was _really_ worth somethin' after all. You thought we were perfect for each other? Well, we thought so too. But…but…"

Suddenly Dale stood to Chip's face and chattered, "Butweweren't! Sodon'tyoutell_me_anything'aboutbein'_perfect_! The Comedian's no good for her, and if he was, then he wouldn't have fainted when he read Fat Cat's note, would he? _You_wouldn'thavefaintedright?"

Chip pondered for a moment on what would have happened if Fat Cat had kidnapped Gadget and left him a similar clue.

And all he could answer was, "N-no."

"Andyouknewthat. And you _also _knew that I would have gone berserk and messed up again at everyone's risk, right?"

"Well, yes—"

"So there you have it. She was wrong about me, and you were right once again. You've _always_ been right. The Comedian could never live up to anyone's expectations. Not hers, not mine, and not yours. That's why I'm killin' the Comedian and startin' again."

With that, Dale turned around, relaxed his ears and tail, and padded back to the box.

But Chip wasn't through.

"And you let her go just like that, then?"

Dale stopped and dropped his comics with an angry THUMP.

He turned to him again, and slowly replied with a pained voice, "_'Just like that'_, you ask?"

He padded back to him and continued with tight fists, clenched incisors, flat ears, and stiff tail, "_'Just like that'_? ChipI_died_thatnight! AndFoxydiedtoo!"

Turning aside, he raised his paws and reflected, "You know, you just don't wake up one day and say to yourself, 'Zowie! This looks like a fine day to kill myself _and_ my Significant Other!' Chip, that was the most horrible decision I've ever had to make. Now, I'm startin' over again."

But for some reason Chip still could not understand. "But Dale, why do you think those were perfectly good reasons to let her go? I mean, you _have_ been getting more serious lately—"

"Chip, Fat Cat also saw a chance to get all of us, and he made good use of it. Can you imagine what would have happened if he had captured not only Foxy, but also my three cubs and _your son_? There's no way we could get married, not with danger being all around us!"

Chip's features twisted and stiffened at that.

With an accusing index digit in front of him, he hissed, "That'sthe_lamest_excuseyou'veevercomeupwithyou_idiot_! You're just saying that because you made yourself believe a _lie t_hat _all _of this happened because of your family's so-called curse!"

Dale growled back, "Somyparentstoldyouaboutthat. WellI'llhaveyouknowthatyou're_wrong_! Ioncehadthe_very_dimhopeofbeatin'youandwinnin'Gadgetoverandmarryin'_her_! And you could very well see that no curse was stoppin' me from tryin! But when I fell in love with Foxglove, the memories of what my parents told me started to haunt me. But I kept tellin' myself that those were just coincidences and that there was _no way _it could happen to us, not even with the enemies we have now! That's why…I fainted…whenIsawthenote. Azilliongenerationsofcurses…hitme…_IN MY INSIGNIFICANT FACE_!"

"ButDaleFoxglovewasrescued! _You_rescuedher! _You_rescued_us_! Andyou_didn't_messup! Youprovedyourselfmorethan_worthy_ofher!"

"IalreadytoldyouwhyIlethergo. And…don'tworryaboutme: Gadget'sallyours…andIwon'tseekanother."

Chip infuriated again when that last phrase reminded him of what Pierre said.

"So_you're_goingtodothehonorsthen?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Huh? Whathonors?"

"You're going to do what your father couldn't bring himself to do: you're going to remain single and let the Oakmont line _die_."

"You have a problem with that, Mister Maplewood?"

_"DALEAREYOUCUH-RAZY?"_ It was Chip who had his paws in the air now.

"If I was 'cuh-razy' I would have married Foxglove a long time ago and right now I would have sixteen cubs, not givin' the least ###### about them or my grandcubs concernin' this curse! Soyou'rerightChip. I_will_dothehonors."

Dale sighed.

"With me, the Oakmont line…and this curse…comes to an end. It's about time I finally did somethin' significant."

Satisfied, Dale relaxed again and continued packing away his comics.

But Chip would not give up so easily.

Still with stiff ears and tail, he continued, "Daleyoubrokethelaw."

Dale looked up and shook his head, "Huh? Whatlaw?"

"Don'tyouremember? Agents Mulder and Scully placed Foxglove under our custody—under_ your _custody and under a life sentence!"

"NoChipthey_recommend_edalifesentence. They never said for how long she would have to be with us. And I think she served her time well and she is now more than able to re-enter animal society. don't you?"

Chip slowly wiped his face with his left paw.

"DaleFoxgloveis_also_aRescueRanger. Herdecisiontoleaveaffects_all_ofus! Whydidn'tyou_atleast_tellusaboutthisbeforesheleft?"

"Chip…you…you just had to be there when it happened. She did not abandon us…she resigned. Just leave her alone."

"Oh? ?"

Dale stiffened his features again and growled, "FromwhatshetoldmethatnightI_really_doubtthatwillhappen. But if it does, then I guess I'll just have to help you guys hunt her down and defeat her, won't I?"

Chip looked at his best friend with total incredulity.

Not only had he released his ultimate love, but also he would not seek another, _and_ he would treat Foxglove like a criminal if he had to.

"Dale_you'reinsane_! Andwhat'sallthisaboutacomedianbeing_dead_?"

Calming down with difficulty, Dale explained, "Chip…Chip I _was_ insane…but no more. The Comedian I was is now _gone, dead_, and _buried_. And why aren't you glad I'm no longer a clown? Isn't that what you always wanted? For me to stop foolin' around and help you solve cases without messin' up? Didn't you say that you thought the Rescue Rangers would be better off without me? Well, surprise: they _are_ better off without the Goof-up, the Klutz, the Clown, and the Comedian. And as of today, the Rescue Rangers are goin' to improve. Because that is exactly what I am goin' to do now: I'm killin' the Goof-up, the Klutz, the Clown, and the Comedian. Chip, I'm sorry for all the times I've messed things up because of my clownin' around. From Day One I've been messin' up, and I can only guess you haven't fired me because I'm your best friend. I abused of your friendship, Chip, and I've caused you and the others to say all those things about me, and I'm terribly sorry I did, and…now that I look back, I see that you were right…in sayin' what you said. But I won't abuse of you friendship, or anyone else's, anymore. As of now, the Goof-up, the Klutz, the Clown, and the Comedian are dead."

Chip simply could not believe that this was the same happy-go-lucky chipmunk who was ready to get married two days ago—

Suddenly, he ran up to him, grabbed his shirt again, and growled, _"__ALL RIGHT, DITZ, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH DALE__?"_

Dale looked at his best friend with low ears and tail and tremendous sadness. "You don't know how much I wish I _was_ Ditz, Chip. If I was, then the real me would have already escaped from his spaceship and Foxy and I would be havin' our honeymoon on the actual moon—"

_"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTZZZZZ!"_

Dale stiffened again, grabbed Chip's jacket and chattered, "CHIPI'M**_NOT_**DITZ! ANDIT'S**_OVER_**! FOXGLOVEIS**_GONE_**! THECOMEDIANIS**_DEAD_**!"

Silence.

Slowly, they released each other.

Their ears came back up again, and their tails relaxed.

Breathing deeply, Chip said, "I'm sorry, Dale. I'm sorry for what happened to you…and Foxglove. If you need anything, I'm on the lower bunk."

"Thanks, buddy. I'm glad I can count on you. And…I'm glad Foxglove was the _only_ friend I lost."

Chip then saw Dale take his last issue of "The Red Badger Of Courage" and place it in the carton, along with his joke books, and his Iron Goose tapes. He then closed the carton and placed it neatly in a dark corner of the closet, in a dark corner of his life.

Neatly?

Dale then went to the bookshelf and asked, "So, can I borrow one of your novels?"

"Uh, sure, just don't mess up the order they're—"

"I won't. And thanks."

"Dale, again, I'm sorry I yelled at you, and for all that I said to you. And…you're _not_ insignificant…you never were…never…"

"Forget it, pal, it's all in the past…all…in the past…"

Dale then climbed on his bunk and prepared to read the novel while hanging from his ankles, but just as he reached that position, he blinked and said, "Oh, sorry. Old habit."

He raised himself up, sat on his bed, and began reading.

Chip looked at his best friend with low ears and tremendous sadness.

Dale _had_ killed himself.

The Comedian was _truly_ dead.

And a part of _him_ had just died too, for some insane and unknown reason…

…and that reason was driving him insane, for it was unknown, and far beyond his own capacity of logic, analytical thinking, and deductive reasoning, to figure out what it was…


	7. PENTE — A FUNERAL PYRE

**PENTE — A FUNERAL PYRE**

Gadget tried to keep busy that day by modifying the design of an elevator she had planned on installing in the tree.

And that was easier said than done, for even in her workshop she could hear yelling, screaming, and unintelligible chattering coming from the chipmunks' room.

Things had quieted down now, almost too quiet.

It had been several hours since Dale's shocking announcement, and Gadget had found herself weeping for him and Foxglove.

It was something so sad, so terrible, so shocking, and the only worse thing she could think of happening was Foxglove being killed.

But even so, she knew Dale _at least_ had the advantage of having his friends, and his parents, for support, unlike _she_ did on that awful day…

Frustrated by the fact that she no longer had a roommate and confidante and that she could not find any more flaws in her elevator design, she aggressively rolled up the blueprints and stuffed them on a shelf.

She then decided to build a rodent-sized satellite dish, and as she did so, she realised that for the first time ever her inventions were not helping her forget.

Stiffening her tail, lowering her ears and slamming down a rodent-sized screwdriver on the table, she did her utmost effort to calm down. No one had been killed, no one was seriously injured, Fat Cat and his cronies had been defeated once again—

_So why do I feel as if Dale and Foxglove had died? Why did Dale say that a comedian was dead? Was he planning on killing himself? He wouldn't, not after he said he wanted to look for more cases, and if he was going to work, then he would soon be coming back to normal, but then everything wouldn't be normal without Foxy, which means that everyone will have to adjust again, which means that the new room will have to be used for something else, but I don't know what to do with it, not after Dale and Foxy were planning on using it, and I was so much looking forward to seeing them married and with cubs, and I don't think I can bring myself to modify the room, but maybe if I ask the others they would do it for me, but I don't know if Dale would want to, but then he said he was going to be a full blooded Rescue Ranger, without messing things up, so maybe he would, but after all he went through it probably wouldn't be a good idea—_

A knock on the door made Gadget jump off her chair.

"Um…c-come in," she stuttered.

Dale opened the door and entered the workshop. His heart hung heavily again when he remembered that this was the very same place where he finally made up his mind to propose to Foxglove.

"Are you busy, Gadget?"

"Golly, well, no, Dale, I was just trying to work on something but…but…"

The muscid didn't know why she did this, but with low ears and tail, she ran to the sciurid, threw her arms around him, and began crying again.

He embraced her too, though he did not cry anymore.

"Oh, golly, Dale…I'm so…sorry for you…and Foxy…I'm…sorry…"

It was all she could say, for her vocabulary promptly shut down and was replaced by bitter anguish and sadness for her friend, as if he had passed away.

"Gadget, I'm more sorry than anyone could ever be, but I had to do this. And, I have to move on."

The Inventor then looked at his dark eyes and sniffed, "Dale, you would have been a great husband for Foxglove. Was it really necessary to let her go?"

"I had to. I don't want her to get in danger anymore. And I won't get any of you guys in any more danger than necessary, either."

For _one_ fleeting moment, she thought she finally understood, but that feeling only lasted _one_ moment and was replaced again by total confusion.

All she could ask was, "S-so, a-are you going to be all right?"

"I hope so, but first I need to do somethin'. Chip told me you picked up the contract, the veil, and the ring after I fainted, right?"

"Y-yes, I did."

"Good. I…will need them now."

"Why, Dale, what are you go—"

"Gadget, please, I need them _now_."

Gadget, surprised by his ever-increasing seriousness, released him and went to her father's cabinet. She dialled the combination on the lock, rather clumsily, and opened the drawer. In it was the translator she had built last year, the one that nearly got Foxglove killed. She tried to blink back tears when she saw it, but it was no use. She fumbled around the drawer, unable to see clearly, but finally she felt the paper roll, the silk cloth, and the metal ring. Standing up straight, she padded over to her friend and handed them to him.

"Thanks, Gadget. Thanks for everythin'." He was about to leave, but then he turned back to her and said, "Gadget, the other night I finally realised why you never chose me, and…you were right. And…I just want to apologise for competin' for your attention. I really did love you, but…you had your reasons, and they were right."

"Dale—"

"I know you didn't want to hurt me or Chip, but…all you had to do was ask us to stop. We would have stopped…er…_I_ would have, at least. And after all you went through, I would have understood if you didn't want a boyfriend just yet. Gadget, I'm sorry about your mom and dad, I'm sorry for hittin' on you, I'm sorry Chip and I forced you to choose between us, I'm sorry for the time I faked my injury back in New Zealand, I'm sorry for all the times I screwed things up, I'm sorry for makin' you build the new room, I'm sorry that the weddin' was called off, and I'm sorry you lost your roommate."

With each word that came from him, Gadget was growing more and more confused.

Dale looked at her confused eyes for a moment, and then turned toward the door.

Then he stopped again and said over his shoulder, "But, please, you must know somethin', if you haven't already figured it out."

"W-what?"

Dale sighed, "Gadget, Chip loves you. He really, _really_ does. And…it would mean the world to him if you loved him too. But if you don't, or if you can't, then…please tell him that. I don't want to see him fightin' for you anymore, especially if he's goin' to lose. And if you say no, he'll understand. I know _I_ would have…but, at least, give him a chance. He deserves that, and…you deserve a chance with him, too." He sighed again, "You'll make him the happiest chipmunk on earth if you do, and…I'm sure you'll be very happy with him as well."

Gadget didn't know what to think. True, she may have feelings for one or both of them, and they may have been made even more clear the other night, but right now her thoughts and emotions were short-circuiting each other.

Furthermore, her concern right now was for her close friend and what he was going to do with the contract in his paw: a document that plainly told the world that he and Foxglove would love each other forever; the veil: the symbol of a covering which only the husband could remove; and the ring: a symbol of their commitment and unity.

"Dale, where are you taking those?"

They looked at each other, and from what Gadget could interpret, Dale's eyes, ears, and tail were telling her that _two_ close friends of his had just died a horrible death.

"I'm goin' to a funeral, and I need to go by myself. Don't wait up for me. This will be the last time I deliberately stay up late. Good night."

Dale closed the door and left, leaving behind a confused mousemaid with only one word in her mind:

Funeral?

* * *

Funeral, indeed.

It was past ten at night, and Dale was standing by himself at the edge of the pond, in the exact same spot where Foxglove was kidnapped three days ago.

Just before he left Headquarters, he made a quick stop in the kitchen to get a safety match, and once outside, he gathered the willow-leaf canopy and the foxglove wreath that had been left behind on that fateful evening, and placed them on the ground.

Now, picking up the safety match, he struck it against a stone, and held it high as it fizzled to life. The stench of sulphur filled his nostrils momentarily, but he held his breath and waited for a light breeze to clear up the air. Holding the match like a torch, he looked at the wedding artefacts in front of him.

His ears and tail were limp again.

This was more difficult than it seemed.

It is never easy to say good-bye, especially to a close friend. But this had to be done.

He closed his eyes and tossed the match.

Hearing the crackle of combustion and feeling the heat increase in front of him, he wondered if this was what Luke Skywalker felt when he set fire to Anakin's—Darth Vader's—body—

No.

Anakin died because he rescued his son, and he never promised Luke that he would always be there for him. Furthermore, neither Anakin nor Luke ever fainted in the face of danger. Still, he just couldn't help but feel a parallel here. It would probably be the last one too, for he swore to himself that his imagination would never get the best of him again.

He then turned to his right and picked up the card Fat Cat had left him.

_On Your Wedding_

A worthy adversary, for if it weren't for Fat Cat keeping them on their toes, the Rescue Rangers would probably not be the efficient organisation it is now, and he _and_ Foxglove would have made the biggest mistake of their lives.

"A best friend and a worst enemy at the same time," he mumbled. But the chipmunk would probably not be so forgiving on their next encounter.

He tossed the card in.

He then picked up the wedding contract and unrolled it.

_I, Dale Segoleh Oakmont, do hereby swear to love Foxglove with all of my heart, soul, and body,_

_to protect her and provide a home for her, to be a husband to her, to be there whenever she needs me…_

He failed that test.

_…I, Foxglove, do hereby swear to love Dale with all my heart, soul, and body,_

_to be a wife to him, to comfort him and support him, to be his helpmeet,_

_to honour, obey, and respect him,_

_to be there whenever he needs me, in all circumstances,_

_from now until death do us part…_

It was settled. She had more than passed, and he had failed miserably.

He tossed the contract in.

"Good-bye, Segoleh."

It was common in the old days for people—and animals—to change their names without much hassle. These days, however, it involved a lot of red tape, so when he had the time, he would go back upstate to make it legal. But as far as he was concerned, it was official as of now. Having thusly rejected the name that his parents bestowed upon him, Dale proceeded to acquire his new identity.

He had his new name ready.

And from this day forward he would now be known as Dale Hastahah Oakmont.

Picking up the veil, he imagined, for a moment, how it would have looked on Foxglove's head, and how her face would have filtered through it, and what her face would have looked like if he had ever gotten the chance to lift it.

He tossed the veil in.

"Good-bye, Foxglove."

His heart burned with the same intensity as the pyre in front of him.

His parents' hearts were broken too, but there was no way out of this. He just hoped that Chip and Gadget would not have to go through what _Foxglove and he_ went through. They deserved better; after all, they were the brains of this team.

He took out the ring.

A gold ring, originally a link from a human gold chain, hammered out and welded just for the occasion, and fitted with a string so it would hang in front of Foxglove's heart.

And gold doesn't burn.

He then took out _his_ ring.

Tying both together, he grabbed the string, twirled the rings around until they were a blur, and with all his strength, threw them into the pond.

The rings then sank to the bottom of his heart…

"Good-bye, my cubs."

Turning back to the pyre, he reflected on what had happened.

He and Chip had moved to the city looking for adventure as crime-fighters, detectives, and rescuers. They had advanced a lot by themselves, and even more under Plato's tutorship, but the Klordane case was their "graduation". In that case alone, they travelled to the Arctic Circle and back and met their new friends and partners, not to mention they fell in love with the same girl.

But several months later, on one fine night, his clumsiness, and his bubble gum, left them all hanging from a lamppost. Dale was the first to fall, but from out of nowhere a female bat swooped down and rescued him. It turned out that the batmaid had picked him up on her sonar and fallen in love with him at first "hearing".

After that case, Foxglove left, but then came back a few months later, and she became an official Ranger.

So with Foxglove, the team was more or less complete, each with a special talent, and weakness as well: Chip, the leader and mastermind, could use deductive reasoning to figure out most cases. Gadget could probably build a nuclear reactor out of a microwave oven if she needed to. Monterey could beat up ten mice his size at the same time. Zipper could spy and retrieve information and slip in and out of places totally unnoticed, and was also well trained in personal combat, with his keen knowledge of physics and tricks of leverage. Foxglove could practically see in the dark and speak several languages now.

And he, well, he was the wild card, the random factor. He could set up an attack plan almost instantaneously and most of the time it would work, seeing that no one, not even him, would be expecting it to go the way it normally went: unpredictably.

However, Chip had the misfortune of having a _very_ short temper, and he was at times unbearably arrogant. Gadget was very naïve and would sometimes lose track of what she was doing, and she _still_ had not recovered from her father's death. Monterey had his cheese reflex, as well as his rushing into fights. Zipper was too small to cause much damage in case he needed to attack at a large number of enemies. Foxglove was sometimes obsessed with learning new things, or just plainly, with him.

And he, well, he had an imagination on overdrive, he stayed up late, he was easily distracted, he learned slowly sometimes, he had trouble figuring out even the simplest clues, he said stupid things all the time, but most of all, he fouled things up _all the time_.

But, then, didn't everyone screw up once in a while too?

Chip, as the leader, would sometimes make wrong decisions, but even with knowing all the facts, that was possible, and it was never deliberate. Gadget's inventions failed most of the time, but technology wasn't perfect, and she, too, did not do so deliberately. Monterrey's reflex was also beyond his control, and it wasn't Zipper's fault that he was so small. Foxglove couldn't help being obsessive; she used to be a loner and needed to learn many things the rest learned long ago.

So, it all came down on him.

Whenever he got distracted, it was by _his_ choice.

Whenever he stayed up late, it was by _his_ choice.

Whenever he fooled around, it was by _his_ choice.

_His_ deliberate choice, and _his_ alone.

_His fault._

Perhaps, an outlet for his feelings of insignificance.

But whenever he chose to fool around, the others often found themselves in more danger than necessary, and often they needed to rescue _him_, besides themselves, too. And even with Foxglove, his randomness had decreased, but not totally disappeared. It had levelled off, sort of, but it was still present nonetheless.

And it was because of it that he had failed Foxglove and the Rangers.

_Being a comedian is fun, but it doesn't come in handy when fightin' the bad guys. It just gets in the way, and it can bring danger to all of us; it can get us killed. Sure, there are times for laughin', but laughin' doesn't help much in solvin' cases. Clowns and detectives don't mix too well._

He picked up the rodent-sized joke book, _1,001 Jokes For All Occasions_. Though he had others, he chose that one as the symbolic one, the one that would mark the severing of his old profession. He did not bring his comic books, since he planned on selling them later on, for a good price. Furthermore, he had practically memorised every single joke from this book in particular by now.

He tossed the book in.

"Good-bye, Comedian."

No more jokes, no more wisecracks, no more stupid comments, nothing.

Dale simply couldn't look at that sight in particular, so he hung his head as the book slowly turned to ashes.

The dancing flames played a few tricks on the flower pattern of his shirt, and for a while, Dale examined each and every single flower. Ever since he laid eyes on that shirt, he _knew_ that it said "Dale". The Hawaiian theme proclaimed the fun lifestyle he practised, and the vivid colours reflected his desire to be noticed, and, if possible, to make others laugh.

Dale pulled off his shirt, and looked at it.

_Orange and yellow are nice colours, but they can stick out if we need stealth. They can give us away big time._

He tossed his shirt in.

"Good-bye, Dale. You were a fun guy to be with, and I will miss you. I really _do_ wish there was another way, but you simply have no place with the Rescue Rangers anymore. And it's necessary for this curse to end here and now. I will not put Foxglove in danger, and no grandcub of mine will go through what my grandfather and I went through."

As the fire continued to burn, Dale reached down and picked up the other shirt he had brought here. It was an average T-shirt, no designs, no patterns, just dark grey all over, much like his father's. It had pockets, but it was doubtful he would need them, for he had already decided to leave all unnecessary ballast behind whenever they went out on a case.

No more bubble gum, no more candy, no more junk food, but above all, no more chocolate.

He put on his new shirt.

_Hastahah_.

The guys were most certainly going to grind their incisors over that, but there was simply no other way.

His new shirt blended somewhat with his brown fur, and even more so in the dark. It wouldn't give them away so easily now.

He then turned to the pyre again, and contemplated it for a while. His gaze then drifted from the flames up to the sky, where the parts of his life were being dispersed. He saw the moon above him, and wondered if Foxglove was also looking at it.

A flashback from the movie _An American Tail_ triggered a song within him:

_"Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight_

_ Someone's thinkin' of me, and lovin' me—"_

He abruptly stopped himself, quivering momentarily. His imagination almost took control of him again. True, maybe Foxglove was looking at the moon right now, and maybe she was thinking about him too. That she loved him more than life itself was something he already knew, for he loved her too, and that's why he had released her, but all of that was irrelevant now. The song then went on to say that if love could see them through, then they would be together…

_…somewhere out there…_

But they both knew that in their case in particular, love would actually keep them apart, protecting Foxglove from harm, and protecting his descendants from a family curse. And maybe, somewhere out there, they _would_ meet again, and he would greet Foxglove and her husband and their cubs, and he would feel happy for them because he would know that his decision had indeed been the correct one.

He then looked down to the pyre again. He _really_ would have to stop looking at the sky like that. And he would have to deal with those movie flashbacks, too. From now on, he would be a top-notch serious detective and Rescue Ranger. The Comedian, Romeo, and Entertainment Expert were now dead.

_"…you can't change who you really are inside…"_

Monterey, unfortunately, would be proven wrong. Perhaps one can't change who they really are, but circumstances can surely change _you_.

He continued to gaze at the dying flames, with his heart burning with pain, anger, and sadness.

But he did not cry.

Nor did his ears or tail change position.

He would not cry anymore, either…


	8. HEX — A SEARCH CONTINUES

**HEX — A SEARCH CONTINUES**

_"…someone's saying a prayer_

_ That we would find one another_

_ In that big Somewhere Out—"_

Foxglove caught herself singing that song under her breath again. This time, however, she could have sworn that Dale was singing it with her.

How she wished she had never seen that movie with him!

How she wished she had never heard that song, at least!

How she wished she could stop herself from dreaming about him _every day_!

How she wished those dreams were _at least_ just a trifle more G-rated!

How she wished her parents were here to comfort her in this time of horrible pain!

_HOW SHE WISHED SHE HAD NEVER BEEN BORN—!_

Gasping at that last wish, she broke out of her trance, and tried to re-establish reality. After some careful grooming, Dale's tears and scent had been removed from herself, but that had not helped much.

Otis, meanwhile, had been helping her looking for bats that had lost young ones, but that first night did not bring any luck.

They had flown to Liberty Island, and Otis went inside the Statue of Liberty to speak with the chiropterids. She had perched herself just under the base of the crown, and was waiting for him. She then contemplated the city, and on how beautiful it looked, and then wished for Dale to be here to see it with her, then she looked at the moon, then she remembered that movie, then she remembered that song—

Shaking herself back to here and now, Foxglove wondered how long she would have to wait until she was able look at the moon, and sunrises and sunsets, without thinking about Dale.

And just what _did_ that song have to do with them, anyways? In that movie, a brother and sister were singing it to each other with the hope of finding each other again. Foxglove did _not_ need to find Dale; she knew exactly where he was, or where to wait for him in case he was not there. Also, Dale was _definitely_ not her brother. And an accident separated those two, not an attack by a horrible villain. It was also doubtful that any of the other Rangers were "saying a prayer" for them to get back together. Furthermore, neither she nor Dale "wished upon a star" anymore, much less the same one. And they _definitely_ did not sleep "underneath the same big sky". Dale slept under a dark sky, and she slept under a blue one.

_So why does that song keep playing inside my HEAD—!_

"Foxglove!"

"Uh, what? Oh, Otis, I didn't hear you roost."

"Foxglove, are you all right? You were looking at the sky as if you had lost something there."

_I did,_ she sighed inwardly. "Um, well, sorry, Otis, I was just nightdreaming again. Did you find out anything?"

"Well, there were five couples and three single mothers in there who say they lost a pup, but four couples and one mother say they lost a _male_ pup. The other couple says they lost a girl, but that was out at sea. The other two mothers told me they lost a daughter, but it happened five years ago. Too recent, I presume?"

"Yes," she replied, sagging in disappointment. "And those were all the bats that lived in the statue?"

"Yup."

"And none of them know any other bats who lost a girl pup?"

"One mother mentioned a sister that lives in Queens, and another told me of someone who lives in Harlem. Where do you wanna check first?"

"Well, first, I think we should eat. Those moths by the spotlights look rather tasty!"

"Okay. But…Foxy?"

She held her breath for a moment. That was the first time he had called her "Foxy".

"Y-yes?"

"_Are_ you all right? You seem rather sad, and you haven't gone back to the park since yesterday. Is…is something wrong?"

Foxglove had to think fast. Her excuses were rapidly running out of convincing power, and Otis was asking too many questions. "Um…oh…well, you see, I…the others told me to take my time. It's obvious that they're planning a big surprise for me when I get back. And…I miss Dale, that's all."

"Oh. I see." Though her last statement was more than true, it was obvious that Otis was getting more and more suspicious now.

He was about to release himself when Foxglove said, "Otis?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for your help. I really, _really_ appreciate it."

"You're welcome. But do you think it _really_ is a good idea _not_ to show yourself to the bats and having _me_ ask the questions?"

"Otis, I don't want to give anyone false hopes by making them think they have found their daughter. I think it's better this way."

"Okay, you're right. Now let's get those moths before they run out, shall we?"

With that, they released themselves and fluttered down to the spotlights.

As they did, Foxglove couldn't help but notice that Otis' voice was soft and deep, and that his musculature was quite evident, and that his membranes were dark, very dark, and that his brown eyes were deep and expressed friendship to all, and that his sonar sounded _very_ interesting—

_He's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother…_ she mantra'd to herself.

She would _not_ fall in love again, much less with someone who thought she was engaged to someone else!

_He's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother, he's your brother…_


	9. HEPTA — CHIP'S LAMENT: STICKINDEMUD

**HEPTA — CHIP'S LAMENT: STICKINDEMUD**

Dale inhaled deeply and strained to push the large paperweights above his chest. He continued breathing deeply and held them up for nearly one minute. Then, with a deep sigh, he set them back on their rack, having enough of a workout for today, got off the bench, and wiped the sweat from his face.

Then, leaving the gym, he padded out the door, and clawed around the tree for several laps.

After that, he entered the hangar and padded toward the tire that slid down to the main room. He was about to slide down, but then decided to try something new and he climbed down the underside of it. Again, it was a bit of a strain, but it kept his claws in shape. He jumped off the final curve and saw Chip standing in front of him.

"You know, Chip, maybe Gadget should install rubber pads on the walls of the gym. That way we can all work on our climbin' skills, and maybe Gadget and Monty can become perfect tree climbers like us."

Chip lowered his ears was about to bonk him for that stupid remark, but then he suddenly realised that the remark was not stupid, and it was not even a remark, but a very well established and serious suggestion that would be for the benefit of the team.

"Uh, sure, Dale, I'll tell her that," he replied, raising his ears again and withdrawing his fist.

"Monty isn't in the bathroom, is he?"

"No, no. It's all yours."

With a nod, the chipmunk with the yellow headband and tank top, white wristbands, and orange shorts, left the living room.

Chip, arms crossed, looked at him leave and simply could not believe it.

Three weeks had passed since that tragic night, and Dale had apparently recovered, though he still would not go into the new room. Instead, he recommended that it be made into a storage/guest room since he would not be needing it anymore.

Other than that, he refused to pad past Gadget's workshop.

But still, he had already read half of his Sureluck Jones novels, and when he wasn't doing that or solving cases, he was at the gym, either pumping iron or practising his fencing. Now, his shoulders were widening, and muscles were beginning to show through his fur, and even where they weren't, due to the fat layer all sciurids have for hibernating, it was fairly obvious that he was getting more and more solid.

Furthermore, he had not said one single stupid comment since that night, and it appeared that Chip was actually waiting for him to do so in order to bonk him.

But no, Dale kept his comments short and serious.

And only serious.

In fact, that was all he said now: serious things.

He didn't tell jokes anymore, not even when they were resting from cases or even on their way to or back from them.

Dale did not even _laugh_ anymore.

_ Hastahah._

The announcement of his new name was practically the last straw for Chip. Not only had Dale rejected his original personality, but his original middle name as well, and he even imposed on himself a hauntingly new identity, one completely opposite of what his parents intended.

_ Dale Hastahah Oakmont._

No, there was no way Chip, or any of the others, were going to get used to his new name.

But it was obvious that the name was imposing itself on Dale. His countenance was slowly etching itself away from his ever-present smile to Sureluck's cold stone face. His tail had not quivered at all these past three weeks, even when they were on their way to what seemed like an exciting case. Furthermore, all of Dale's Hawaiian shirts, bermudas, and nightshirts were packed away too, and he only wore grey now, making it seem that Dale was transforming more and more into his father, Pierre.

The television had also remained dark and silent for three weeks now, and Chip felt surprised at how little TV he and the others actually watched: news programs and an occasional documentary. But originally it had been Dale who had kept the TV company most. And now, no movies or cartoons flickered in the small screen.

What was unnerving, however, was that Foxglove's short-wave radio was also silent now.

Still, Dale now kept his part of the room clean and in order, he did his chores without questioning, and he even helped Monterey cook and Gadget with her inventions! He even helped Zipper in his stealth and data retrieval abilities, and he was learning a few tricks of stealth and leverage as well. It appeared that the whole incident had transformed Dale into a serious fightmaster/body-builder/cook/mechanic/stealth expert/detective/Rescue Ranger.

The Slob and the Clown were gone forever.

But wasn't that what Chip wanted? For Dale to just stop fooling around and get serious when the time called for seriousness?

"Be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it."

_Yes, but I never asked him to kill himself!_

Dale was also proving himself to be just as intelligent as the others as well. It was amazing how quickly he learned when he _wanted_ to learn. He could cook by himself, he could repair the vehicles with little assistance from Gadget now, and he could recite several passages from his novels, as good as he originally did with his comic books—

Then everyone noticed that the occasional candy Monterey brought home was piling up.

Dale did not eat candy anymore.

The drop that overflowed, however, was three days ago. Gadget came home with an _unwrapped_ candy bar: Hershey's Milk Chocolate With Almonds.

"Hey, Dale, I've got you something!"

Dale looked up from the novel he was reading on the couch, and for one instant, his eyes glazed over at the sight of _Gadget_ holding a _giant chocolate bar_.

Inhaling deeply, he slowly stood, very obviously trying to control his powerful reflex. Padding slowly towards her, he continued breathing deeply, letting the delicious aroma of chocolate, almonds, and Gadget's scent saturate his olfactory bulb.

Finally, he came up to her, laid his ears back, held his tail still, looked at her eyes, and said, stone faced, "Ummm, thanks, Gadget, I'mmmmm…glad you brought this for mmmmmme…but…nnnnnnnno thanks. I…I really can't eat this right now. But why donnnnn't you share it with Chip? I donnnnnn't mmmmmind, realllllllyyyyyyy…"

Everyone's jaw went slack again at Dale's response.

_Politely_ refusing a _candy bar_ brought by _Gadget_?

No one had ever thought that feat was possible. Dale had rejected _chocolate_!

True, he drank chocolate once in a while, but rejecting a _complete and unwrapped_ candy bar was totally unheard of.

Dale then padded back to the couch, sat down, turned to her again and said, "But thanks again, Gadget," and continued reading.

In all, Dale was well into his all-too-shocking self-improvement plan, one that would probably have never happened if it wasn't for Fat Cat, their best incentive for self-improvement plans.

And the bottom line was that Dale was helping the team and they all could solve cases more efficiently now—

Then there was that recent case.

Two afternoons ago, when they were in the supermarket, a small male rat came up to them and told them that his fruit cachés were mysteriously running low. They all went to investigate, and they searched for clues in the rat's home, which was within the wall next to the produce section.

The cachés were lined up against the wall; they were mostly apples, pears, oranges, and grapes, with an occasional lettuce leaf.

Dale then immediately smelled something other than fruit, and they all saw a few hairs on the floor. As Dale bent down to sniff the evidence more carefully, Chip then pondered on what kind of small mammals—

"Gerbils," said Dale, "_Four_ of them."

Chip, ever so surprised, had no objection, as no large animal could enter the rat's home. It could have been lizards, but lizards don't have fur. How Dale smelled the gerbils and established their number so quickly was beyond him. True, Dale had a keen sense of smell (which came handy back in New Zealand) but now it seemed that this particular talent of his had been modified _ten-fold_.

…maybe it was because he didn't focus on smelling chocolate anymore…

Searching for hidden entrances, the Rangers split up. Here, Foxglove would have been of enormous help, for she would have detected hidden cracks within the dark passages. Finding none, however, the Rangers decided to stay with the rat and hide themselves among the fruit, to see if the gerbils would come back.

All were sleepy that night, except Dale, for some reason.

At around 11 p.m., Dale sensed that the fruit was shifting. He quickly awakened the others and told them to be quiet.

Then, they all heard it.

"Blimey!" whispered Monterey. "Them blokes are stealin' the fruit roight from under us!"

Chip then ordered, "Monty, shove all—!"

Dale was way ahead of them, however. One-half second earlier, he shoved aside all the produce and saw a crack on the plank that was under the fruit. He and Monterey then pried the wood up and cracked open the secret entrance of a short tunnel that lead to an alley.

Chip, Gadget, and Zipper immediately jumped inside when they heard foot-paws running away from the scene. Monterey and Dale followed, and the rat was last.

However, the gerbils had a good head start and were already halfway out of the alley when the Rangers left the tunnel.

They all ran after them, but much to everyone's surprise, Dale ran faster than everyone else and was beginning to catch up to the gerbils.

There _were_ four of them indeed, one of whom was lagging because he was carrying an armload of pears. He was brought down thanks to Gadget's plunger harpoon connecting on his lower back, sending pears rolling all over the alley.

The others had already ditched their loads when they realised they had been discovered, and were now running faster when they saw their comrade fall.

Dale was about ten centimetres away from one gerbil, when suddenly the thief whirled around, lowered his ears, and swung an exacto blade at him with his left paw. Dale stopped immediately and threw his abdomen back, dodging the swing. Before the gerbil could take another swing at him, Dale kicked the blade off his paw. Infuriated, the thief threw a punch at Dale with his other paw. Dale blocked the punch with his left arm, and then threw the hardest right hook he had ever thrown, at the gerbil's face. If it had been an uppercut, the gerbil would probably have been knocked right off his foot-paws, but instead, he staggered back a full metre and spat out a few teeth. Dale calmly padded up to him, laid his ears back, grabbed him by his shirt, and began giving him a series of right hooks. After three of them, the gerbil was quite clearly unconscious and would have flopped down on the concrete, but Dale refused to release him and continued with his punches.

He would have continued to do so indefinitely, but fortunately for the gerbil Chip ran up to Dale and held back his arm—

Dale had his ears down and his tail was as stiff as a board, and his countenance was one of total rage, matched only by the expression he had in Fat Cat's lair that other night.

For one instant, Chip thought he was looking at Pierre, not Dale.

He laid his ears back, "Dale, stop it! He's out cold! You caught him! He's not going anywhere, so just let go of him!"

Dale blinked momentarily; the rage in his eyes gradually subsiding. Taking deep breaths, he lowered the unconscious gerbil to the concrete and released the mangled shirt. He then shook his right paw.

"Boy oh boy, I didn't know gerbils had such hard faces!" he said.

Or, that was what Chip expected him to say.

_C'mon, say it, say it!_ he thought.

But instead, Dale raised his ears and said, "Ouch, sorry, Chip, I guess I got carried away. But don't worry, I won't watch boxin' movies anymore."

With that, they dragged the mauled gerbil back to the rat's home.

But Chip knew that what he saw had nothing to do with Rocky Balboa, or _any_ movies whatsoever…

Monterey and Zipper, meanwhile, had run/flown in the opposite direction around the market and met the last two gerbils head-on, and with one swift punch, Monterey knocked one out. Zipper simply tripped the last one, allowing Monterey to nail the gerbil's face on the sidewalk with his elbow. The mouse carried them back to the market, while Zipper escorted Gadget, who had already tied up the first one.

There, they waited for the local small mammal authorities to pick up the crooks, and went home.

That was a simple case, but it was solved well.

Very well.

_It would have been great if Dale had not been so aggressive. At most, he only needed two punches to knock out that gerbil!_

And again, flying on the Ranger Wing on their way home, everyone had their ears up.

"Well, guys, another case solved. Don't you just love this job?"

"It's tough, Chip, but I love it, right, Monty?"

"You bet, Zip, there's nothin' like the satisfaction of a job well done."

"And we solved it in one day, too! I didn't think we would be able to work so quickly without Fox—oops, sorry, Dale."

"Forget it, Gadget, I already put that behind me. And I'm glad this case was solved quickly, too."

A short, serious comment, which caused some ears to droop.

Dale did not smile, as the others usually do when coming home from wrapping up a case.

He had not smiled at all lately.

Chip also saw that Dale turned to look at the sky several times, as if he were looking for something, or someone.

And almost as quickly as he did, he turned away.

Perhaps he was trying to break another old habit.

But he did not smile.

And at times he would have a distant look in his eyes. Maybe it was that grey shirt he wore now…

But he had to admit, there were no foul-ups whatsoever. The case had been solved smoothly through perfect teamwork.

_Then why do I feel like I'm working with a stranger?_

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Chip turned to his right, looked at the most beautiful mousemaid in the world for a moment, laid his ears back, lowered his tail, and replied, "Gadget, did Dale scare you two days ago?"

Gadget looked into his eyes and replied with worried tone, ears, and tail, "Yes, he did. And I don't know if all of this is making him a better detective."

"It has made him a stick-in-the-mud, that's what it's done."

"What?"

Chip looked at the hallway again, "Gadget, ever since Foxglove left, have you heard Dale tell a joke, _any_ joke?"

The Inventor scanned her memory for a moment, and then replied, "Oh, golly, Chip, now that you mention it, uh, no, no I haven't."

"Have you heard him laugh, jest, or even chuckle or snort, or even seen him wag his tail lately?"

Gadget's face and ears showed more worry as her memory turned up nil for each of the above categories. "This isn't healthy, is it?"

"I don't know. Dale is clean now, he does exercise, he helps around more, he's getting smarter, he _really_ is becoming a better detective."

"And all he had to do was kill the Comedian and the Klutz and Clown and the Goof-up. Kill Segoleh." She, too, was shocked at his name change.

"Gadget, I don't know what to do about this. Yes, the team has gotten better because of him, but…but…I'm wondering if I wouldn't mind trading that for the old Dale."

"Even with his goof-ups and getting us into more trouble than necessary?"

Chip shook his head and stiffened his features, "I'm just saying that there _had_ to be another way to deal with this. Maybe he didn't have to kill the Clown. Maybe…ooooh, there _had_ to be another way! But I can't think of any other alternatives!"

"He did what he had to do. Chip, I miss the Comedian, too, but it was Dale's decision. And he's still your best friend."

Waving his paws in frustration, Chip replied, "Gadget, my best friend just lost nine-tenths of his personality. It's almost as if I don't know him anymore. It's as if Dale had died and now another chipmunk is sleeping on the top bunk now! Maybe…if he had just pushed back the Comedian, just _pushed_ him back, not killed him…if he had done that, maybe this wouldn't be eating at me so much."

Gadget was more or less aware of what Chip was going through, after all, Segoleh was dead and Hastahah had taken his place so another tamias was _definitely_ sleeping on the top bunk now and that was a situation which was somewhat similar for her when her father died and later on Monterey came along to more or less take his place but of course it wasn't _exactly_ what was happening here because it was all in Dale's head more or less and who more than anyone would miss Segoleh more than _him_ because _she_ most certainly knew what it was like to lose part of _oneself_ but Dale would most probably have an even harder time because _he_ killed _himself_, basically, unlike what happened to her—

Carefully, she took hold of Chip's right arm with both of her paws.

"Chip, I'm sorry for you, but can you imagine what Dale is going through? He needs us, and maybe if we give him support, the Comedian will come back, maybe just a little."

If that had happened under different circumstances, Chip's heart would be beating right out of his chest. So right now, even Gadget was surprised to see that no reaction came from Chip from her advances.

He simply looked at the hallway and replied, "You're right, Gadget, but the thing that's eating me most right now is the fact that he doesn't laugh anymore. Comedians aren't the only ones who laugh. Everyone, not just comedians, laughs at one point or another, everyone except—"

"The clinically depressed?" she asked, tilting her head, almost reading his mind. "You _really_ don't think that Dale is going clinically depressed, do you? He's just serious all the time now, he doesn't look depressed anymore."

Chip ruffled his head fur for a moment, relaxed his tail, and sighed, "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's just me waiting for him to say something stupid so I can bonk him. I haven't bonked him since he came home that day! But still, I can't help but feel worried about him."

With that, he slipped out of Gadget's hold—to her surprise, again—turned on the TV, and stepped on the remote control as he searched for a particular programme.

Gadget wondered if the problem was with _him_ at this point. Why didn't he respond to her now?

"Chip, what are you doing?"

"I'm looking for a decent sitcom."

"A _sitcom_? Why?"

Finding none in this particular time slot, Chip turned off the TV and fell back on the couch, still with low ears.

He looked up to her, and replied, "Because every once in a while, I feel the strangest need to laugh at _something_, to laugh at _anything_…"

Chip's voice faded as he turned again and stared at the black screen.

Gadget sat beside him and leaned against him.

Chip, again, did not respond in any way…

* * *

That afternoon, the Rangers had finished lunch and Dale was cleaning the table when they heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" said Monterey, coming out of the kitchen.

"That's all right, Monty," said Dale, already on his way to the door. "I'll see who it is."

Dale padded up and opened the do—

_"DALE, DARLING!"_

And a gorgeous female chipmunk embraced him tightly and kissed him square on the…


	10. OKTO — ALONE UGH AGAIN

**OKTO — ALONE (UGH) AGAIN**

A gorgeous male chipmunk embraced her tightly and kissed her square on the lips.

Without thinking, she lowered her ears and twitched her tail, returned the hug and the kiss, and then they—

This was it.

The wonderful moment she had waited for since the day she detected him, the ultimate experience with her life partner, the beautiful consummation of their love for each other, and perhaps they would get a new son or daughter, or both, in the process, and they would do this only with each other, and no one else, for the rest of their lives—

Foxglove awoke with a start.

_If I dream that dream one more time, I'm going to get a hypnotist and have him erase Dale from my head!_

She tried to catch her breath, amazed at the fact that sleeping could leave her exhausted.

_This wouldn't be so bad if I'd at least dream the whole thing through and not wake up right in the middle of it!_

Also, the dream had awakened her at least one hour before sunset, so she really had not much to do except try to go back to sleep, but that would be somewhat difficult since she was still shaken up due to the theme of the dream.

And she couldn't talk to anyone because Otis was not with her anymore.

_ Alone…_

Their trip to Queens and Harlem was fruitless, and additional leads brought them to New Jersey, and then back to New York and Long Island, and then to the banks of the Hudson River.

She roosted under an awning in an old factory, a little ways from where a male bat told them he had lost his daughter, last year, unfortunately.

Five nights into their search, Otis became more and more suspicious as to why Foxglove did not fly back to the park to report her findings to the other Rangers.

"Otis, the others probably haven't got back yet, either," she told him as they flew. "We still have plenty of time before we have to return."

"Foxy, we have been flying around in a circle and have nearly gone all the way around the park. You have a sad look on your face, and sometimes I hear you say 'Oh, Dale, don't leave me' in your sleep. You _are_ going to fly back to the park, aren't you?"

Foxglove did not reply and continued flying toward the river.

"Foxglove?"

Suddenly turning to him, she asked, "Otis, do _you_ have a missing sister?"

Taken back by the sudden interrogation, Otis stuttered, "Uh, well, no, my parents never told me anything about that—"

"Do your parents know _any_ bat who lost a daughter?"

"Well, I _would_ ask them, but right now they're in Texas. Foxglove—"

"Do _you_ know anyone who lost a daughter or sister?"

Otis did not understand why Foxglove was so agitated.

"N-no, Foxglove, I don't. Look, I know you're desperate to find _any_ family, but ever since I read your story in the papers I _knew_ you couldn't be my sister. My family never lost anyone, so I doubt we're even distant cousins. But please, try to calm down. We'll find your relatives and then you can go back to Dale—"

_"OTIS!"_

She practically squealed in his ear, for after realising that he was definitely _not_ her relative, she unconsciously drifted closer and closer to his face, spellbound by his deep voice and sonar.

Upon hearing Dale's name, the spell was broken.

Hovering in front of each other, Otis tried to shake off the ringing in his ear, while Foxglove tried to catch her breath.

"Foxy, what's wrong?"

Foxglove could not hold herself back any longer. Her ears drooped, and she whimpered, "Otis, Dale and I broke up. I quit the Rescue Rangers and the only thing I have left to do is try to find my family. I was hoping you would be my brother so I would…calm down…but…but…I'm sorry I yelled at you."

The male verspetilionid looked at her with pity. "Oh, well, I'm sorry, Foxglove. Is that why you didn't want to talk to the other guys?"

"Yes."

Suddenly suspicious of something else, he asked, "Then why did you decide to talk to _me_?"

"I…I don't know…you…you're nice…and…and…han…our friend…I had hoped you would be my relative…but…I…I…"

"Foxglove, I'm sorry. You obviously need some time to recover, but why did you and Dale break up?"

"He…he let me go. He didn't want me to be in danger anymore. He…asked me to live with the bats now."

Otis finally realised the extent of the situation he was in.

"Uh, look, Foxy, if that is what happened to you, then you're probably very vulnerable right now, and I'm obviously not supposed to be hanging around you alone like this, but it's also obvious that you need someone to talk to. Why…why don't you stay here and rest for a while, and I'll see what I can do? I'll bring back more help, I promise."

With that, Otis flew away, to his relief, and hers, too, surprisingly.

Now, Foxglove had been alone for three days and it was obvious that nothing else was going to happen here.

The bat that lived near here, however, did say that a cousin of his lost a daughter almost two decades back, _in a park_, and that she lived somewhere in Boston. That was a long trip from New York, but this was her quest now, and she would have to carry it out until she found her parents, living or dead.

And now, she would have to carry it out—

Alone…


	11. ENNEA — OLD FLAME, NEW FUEL

**ENNEA — OLD FLAME, NEW FUEL**

…square on the right cheek. Dale, shocked, needed only one second to realise who had decided to pay a visit:

The chipmunkmaid had tan fur, with lighter tones on her face and neck, a maroon nose, and beautiful lavender eyes. To accentuate her eyes, she wore a long blue dress that was cut to reveal her right leg, and a matching hat with a flowery yellow brim.

Her ears and tail clearly communicated how happy she was to see him.

"Clarice?"

"Dale, you old dawg, you've been pumping up! And I'm surprised you still remember me, considering your _new_ marital status!"

"Huh?"

The other Rangers padded up at this point.

"'Ey, pally, who's yore friend?" asked Monterey.

Clarice released Dale as he turned and said, "Guys, this is Clarice Tamiassara. Chip and I met her several years ago when we still lived in the forest. She was our 'first crush', you might say. She worked at a nightclub, the 'Acorn Club', but then moved on, and so did we."

But as Dale spoke, no smile appeared in his face, and his ears and tail remained stationary. True, he was surprised to be visited by an old friend, and even glad at this point, but the only emotion on his face was surprise.

Chip was astounded at both Dale's lack of emotion _and_ this unexpected visit, but before he could even begin to ponder on either subject, Clarice padded up to _him_, hugged him tightly, and kissed him…

_…very deeply indeed…_

Dale sighed.

It had happened _again_.

_Another_ female had come for Chip.

He felt a little pain, but he was getting used to that now.

Here, however, a strange reaction was triggered on Gadget's person. Upon seeing this otherwise unknown—_gorgeous_—chipmunkmaid, who was obviously an old friend of Chip and Dale _(crush?)_, suddenly appear out of nowhere, grab Chip and practically shove her tongue down his throat and cause his ears to lay flat and his tail to vibrate so, every muscle in Gadget's body tensed, her paws closed to form pale fists, and her ears and tail tensed as well. And she herself was wondering what was suddenly taking control of her. Not that she hadn't seen a kiss like that before, because she had—

—but because she was seeing it happen to _Chip_.

It was a very strange feeling, one she could not identify, for she had never felt it before—

Or had she?

It wasn't anger, for she had no reason to be angry, since this was Chip's old friend, and Clarice was obviously more than happy to see him and Dale again.

But then, a vague memory drifted from the darkest recesses of her mind, a memory that sought to connect the present emotion to a similar one she experienced years ago. Suddenly remembering herself as a cub, going to school and coming back from school, with her father taking her to and back from it, and seeing all the other animals' parents do likewise, but _only_ having her father do so, while the others had their fathers and/or _mothers_ to do that task, the emotions connected.

She vividly remembered that feeling now, only that when she felt it twelve years ago, she did not know what it was, but it was definitely something that was present in the pit of her stomach, and it was exactly what she was feeling now, _twelvefold_.

She sought frantically for a label, a word, an identity for that emotion, but she couldn't find any. She knew there was a word to what she was feeling, but what was it? Could it be…

_…Jealousy?_

Clarice released Chip, who took thirty seconds to catch his breath again.

"Clarice, I see you remember Chip," stated Dale, matter-of-factly, still trying to ignore the pain.

"Oh, come on, darling, how could I ever forget him? And who are your friends?"

Dale thusly did the introductions, "Clarice, this is Gadget Hackwrench, Monterey Jack Colby, and our fellow dipterid: Zipper Lightringer."

Clarice proceeded to shake paws with Dale's friends, or so they thought. She held out a digit for Zipper and gave him a light kiss on the lips, she shook Monterey's paw vigorously and kissed _his_ lips, and she gently shook Gadget's paws and kissed her cheek.

Gadget, for some reason, felt like turning her off, like an appliance, somehow. Still, she managed to relax her features.

"Uh, Clarice!" exclaimed Chip, after catching his breath and getting his tail under control. "I'm…I'm happy to see you again, too! What brings you all the way here from Vegas?"

_Vegas?_ thought Gadget. _As in Las Vegas, Nevada, gambling capital of the world?_

"What else?" she replied, going over to Dale once again, holding his left paw in both of hers. "I came here to wish my old friend good luck!"

"Good luck in what?" asked Dale, looking at her a trifle confused-like.

"Why, good luck in your marriage, of course!" she replied, squeezing his paw a little. "Four weeks ago, I was reading the socials in the _Vegas Furries_—I _always_ read the socials, mind you, you never know _what_ they're going to say about you—when I stumbled across the announcement of my dear old friend Dale Oakmont, Rescue Ranger, about to be married!"

"Well, Clarice—"

"So I told myself, 'Self, you just _have_ to go to your friend's wedding'."

"Clarice—"

"I mean, after all the good times we had back upstate, I just _had_ to come and share in your joy."

"Clarice—"

"I mean, Gadget honey, you should have _seen_ the way these two hunks looked at me whenever I was on stage. So, I just couldn't believe that dear old Dale had finally landed himself a girlfriend, and a bat, too! She must be something really special."

"Well, she is, but—"

She then turned to him again and continued, "Oh, Dale, but I'm so sorry I arrived three weeks late. I mean, I _pleaded_ with my agent to let me off for just two days, but _noooooo_, he said," with a mocking low voice, _"a contract is a contract, and you have to live up to it,"_ then with her normal squeaky voice, "and live up to it I did, that no-good…um, well, you know." She stiffened her ears and tail here, but only for a moment.

She relaxed while Dale tried to explain, "But Clarice—"

"I know, I know, Dale, I know exactly what happened," she continued, softly holding and patting his left paw.

"You do?" he asked, lowering his ears.

"Well, of _course_ I do, dear! It was all over the animal press three days later! I'll tell you, your fiancée must _truly_ love you if she endured that horrible kidnapping. And right before the wedding, too! Oh, Dale, it must have been awful!"

"It was, but—"

"And so you postponed the wedding. Hey, I made it on time anyway! But don't worry, I won't tell anyone about it if you don't tell my agent where I am right now, ha ha ha!" She winked an eye at him.

"Clarice—"

"Say, where _is_ your fiancée, anyway—? _OOPS_!"

She then whispered, "I'm sorry, guys, I forgot. She's a bat, so she's asleep right now, right?"

"Clarice—"

She then lowered her ears and tail and slapped her forehead, "Oh, where are my manners? I keep calling her 'your fiancée'! Her name is…uh…what _was_ her name?" Seeking for a name in her hyperactive brain, she raised one ear and recited, "Uh, Daisy? Forget-me-not? Magnolia? Rose? Lilly? Buttercup?"

"Foxglove."

"Oops! There I go again. So, when _are_ you having the ceremony, toots?"

Dale looked at the others, and then he looked back at his old friend with sadness. "Clarice, I'm sorry, but you came all the way over here for nothin'. The weddin' wasn't postponed, it was called off."

Clarice's joviality was suddenly truncated when she heard that statement. "C-called off?"

"Yes. We…broke up shortly after we rescued her."

"B-broke up? B-but…why? From what I read in the socials, you two were _perfect_ for each other!"

"Clarice, you…just had to be there. And…it was somethin' I had to do. I'm sorry you came all the way here for nothin', but I'm glad to see you again," though his face showed otherwise.

Clarice, being suddenly hit with news as shocking as that, did what every self-respecting female celebrity did in situations like this:

She drooped her ears and tail, broke down in tears, embraced Dale again, and expressed her condolences. "Oh, Dale…Dale…I'm so sorry for you…! So…sorry…"

Gadget calmed down at this point, her questionable feelings subsiding. Still, for some reason, she thought that this chipmunkmaid was faking it, somehow. Or maybe it was the celebrity atmosphere about her…

About five minutes later, they were all sitting on the couch, but it appeared that it was _Dale_ who was consoling _Clarice_.

"Clarice, it's over. Foxglove had to leave, and I'm sorry you never got the chance to meet her. I'm sorry for all the trouble you went through to get here, and if there is anythin' we can do to make it up to you, well—"

Clarice looked up at him and sniffed, "Oh, will you look at me! Here I am, thinking I'm comforting an old friend, and it turns out he's comforting _me_! I'm sorry Dale, I really am. But, as long as I'm here, we might as well catch up from old times. Let's see, the last time I saw you two was about six years ago, just before my big break in Atlantic City. What have you guys done in the meantime?"

As she dried her tears and raised her ears, Chip explained to her how after rescuing an injured beaver, he and Dale decided to follow up on a dream they both had of becoming detectives. He told them of their time alone, their time with Plato, how they met Monterey, Zipper, and Gadget, how they met Foxglove afterwards, and how they had helped countless animals and humans all over the world.

She, in turn, told them of the celebrity life that took off from Atlantic City, and how she made the rounds in Orlando, Miami, Austin, Nashville, Hollywood, and finally Las Vegas, where she practically had every male animal drooling whenever she went out on stage.

"And tell me, Chip, I don't suppose you found yourself a dame that could make you drool more than _I_ could?"

Chip blushed a trifle. "Um, well, this job doesn't leave much time for that, especially since I'm the leader—"

"Oh, nonsense, Chipper, if Dale here almost landed himself a wife, I'm sure you can, too."

_Hmm. Maybe this chipmunkmaid isn't so imposing after all,_ thought Gadget.

But then she saw Clarice batting her _long_ eyelashes at Chip.

And he, for some reason again, was not responding.

She had to act quickly. "So, Clarice, are you going back to Las Vegas, then?"

"Eventually, yes."

Gadget quietly sighed in relief.

"But there's another reason why I came to New York."

Gadget's tension arose again.

"My agent brought to my attention that there were a few clubs here that wanted me for several nights, _and_ that some casting directors were playing the rounds, too. Hey, I _might_ end up in Broadway! In fact, Dale, tonight at eight, The Nutshell Club is having an open mike comedy night! You can have everyone rolling on the floor and wetting themselves—"

"Uh, sorry, Clarice, but being a Rescue Ranger is kinda hard work, and when we're not solvin' cases, we're usually lookin' for them. Besides, I…I don't do comedy anymore—"

"You_what_?" she chattered, lowering her ears again.

"I don't do comedy anymore. It…it got in the way of the detective business. I had to change my name, too. I had to drop Segoleh. I'm now Dale Hastahah."

Clarice could not believe her ears. Never had she heard of such a radical change in name and personality, ever, not with anyone she knew, at least.

"And we _are_ kinda busy right now, so—"

"Uh, Clarice!" exclaimed Chip. "We'll be glad to see you at The Nutshell tonight! After all that's happened here, we need a break, _and_ we could use a laugh or two."

Chip looked at Dale with anger and disappointment, while Dale looked at Chip with a you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water face, and both had their ears down again.

Clarice, meanwhile, recovered a trifle from her previous shock and raised her ears again. "It's settled, then! But Dale, are you sure you don't want to go on stage? I could save a place for you."

"Clarice, I appreciate your help, but no thanks, really."

She smirked a trifle at him and replied, "It's your loss, then, honey. Well, I'd better be getting to The Nutshell Club myself. I'll see you all there!"

They stood and she kissed all of them good-bye, making a special emphasis on Chip, which almost made Gadget's eyes turn yellow.

With that, the gorgeous female chipmunk pranced out the door and left, and for some reason Dale did not let her out of his sight until the door was closed…


	12. DEKA — NEW FLAME, OLD FUEL

**DEKA — NEW FLAME, OLD FUEL**

Foxglove perched herself on a tree just as dawn began. Completely exhausted, she was amazed at just how far she could fly in twelve hours. She had already left New York State, and was well into Connecticut. She would sleep here and continue in the evening, hoping to spend the next day in Massachusetts.

Fortunately for her, there were plenty of insects—including moths—to eat, and no bat predators had come to her encounter. Tonight she had eaten _five_ luna moths, but for some reason, they did not taste _that_ good anymore. That was more than surprising for her; she _knew_ they were luna moths, and she _knew_ they were tasty, but they didn't taste _that_ good anymore. Maybe they were from a different strain…

She would wonder about that later. Right now, she needed to find a safe place to sleep for the day. Flying off again, she heard up ahead a redwood with a thick top, and a few holes in its trunk. She flew toward it, but then she heard behind her:

"Foxglove!"

And it wasn't a normal animal voice, it was spoken in ultrasound, by _two_ creatures.

She turned and hovered, and echosounded at them in fear as she heard _Otis_ coming toward her.

She calmed down, however, when she heard another chiropterid behind him, a female.

Catching up, Otis panted, "Foxglove! I thought you were still in New York! We've been echosounding all over this flight path for you!"

For some reason, Foxglove was glad that he was sounding like a big brother, "S-sorry, Otis, it's just that…that you were gone for three nights, and I thought you weren't coming back, so I decided to fly to Boston alone."

"You're lucky you didn't meet any owls on the way! It's a dangerous trip as it is, and we were worried sick about you!"

Foxglove's ears drooped at the reprimand from her "brother", who then corrected his tone of voice:

"Oh, sorry, Foxy. I didn't mean—"

"Um, y-you're right, Otis," she stated. "I shouldn't be flying on my own. I…I'm sorry."

Feeling more than awkward, Otis just echosounded at her. He noticed that her pinkish-brown fur sounded soft, and her eyes were the most beautiful blue, and her sonar was—

"Uh, Foxglove! I'd like you to meet my cousin, Feyyanna. Feyyanna, this is my friend, Foxglove, former Rescue Ranger."

Foxglove scanned the female. She, too, was a grey batmaid, though her eyes were hazel, and her ears were slightly more triangular. There was an air of friendship about her, similar to Otis'.

"Pleased to meet you," said Foxglove.

"Semm heyer. Cossin Otis tells meh yew loss yewr boyefrenn'?"

Foxglove was somewhat surprised to hear a slow and thick Texan accent, and she was even more surprised when she realised that although it sounded funny, she did not feel like laughing, chuckling, or even smiling.

"Well, not exactly 'lost', Feyyanna, it's more like we broke up."

"Oh, Ah'm sorreh 'bout thayat, Foxey! Now, mah cossin heyer tells meh yew're lookin' for yore perrints?"

"Yes. I'm on my way to Boston, and now that I think about it, I'm gonna need your help."

"What we're gonna need now is a good day's rest!" said Otis. "We almost fainted halfway on the trip here! Foxy, I didn't know you could fly so far for so long!"

"Uh, thanks, Otis, I didn't know that either. Look, we can sleep in that redwood, and continue tonight. How do you feel about that?"

"Sounns fahn to meh. An' Ah could yewse a ress, too!"

With that, the three pipistrells flew to the redwood, perched on a high branch, and fell asleep, with Feyyanna sleeping between the other two, allowing Foxglove to relax even further.

* * *

The following night, as they were almost to the Massachusetts state line, Otis was flying about ten meters ahead of the two batmaids, letting them have a female-to-female talk.

"So, you're from Texas?" asked Foxglove.

"Yup. Mah fammele juss moved a coppel months bayack. Too menny 'sheyells' were commin' neer the cayev, yew knewe."

Both batmaids winced at that statement, for no chiropterid ever associated with an armadillo or even spoke its name out loud. So, they were labelled "shells".

Foxglove continued, "I met one of them in a field some time ago. Well, more like I _heard_ it. He didn't see me, but I think he knew I was there. I flew away as fast as I could. Horrible, evil creatures they are!"

Feyyanna then decided to change the subject. "Oh, 'nough 'bout thayat! Teyell meh, whayat was yore boyefrenn' lahk?"

Foxglove sighed. She _really_ didn't want to talk about that, but Feyyanna's eyes and the friendship and sympathy they expressed were getting to her.

"Dale was a chipmunk."

"A _whayat_?"

"A chipmunk. A rodent. He was the best sounding hunk I ever heard. I know you're surprised, but when I first heard him, I completely lost myself to him. You would have, too. And he didn't look that bad either! He was handsome, brave, funny, strong, loving, helpful, spontaneous—but somewhat fickle and hesitant—and just a tad shy and clumsy. I had to wait two years before he asked me to marry him, and right before the ceremony, I was kidnapped by an evil cat. My other Ranger friends tried to save me, but they were captured, too. When all seemed lost, Dale came and rescued all of us, and…and…realised that with our line of work, getting married was the worst thing we could do. He also realised that he had too many faults to be a good husband and father, so he let me go."

"Oh, Ah'm sorreh, Foxey! Otis tol' meh yew had gonn threw summthin' horrebbel, but nut lakk thiyis!"

"I know. It was horrible. I wouldn't wish that on any 'shell', either."

Feyyanna was shocked at that statement.

What Foxglove went through must have been something right out of Hades itself.

"So now, all I have left to do is find my family. I hope I find them."

"Whayat well yew dew eff theye're deid?"

Foxglove echosounded at her for a moment, and replied, "I guess I'll live like any other bat, I suppose. Sleep during the day, eat during the night, have a few friends, avoid owls and other predators, just be an average batmaid."

"But whayat 'bout _yore_ fammeleh? Ah mean, well yew eyver fannd a mayte aggin'?"

The ex-girlfriend echosounded ahead and thought, _No way,_ while replying, "I don't know, Feyyanna. Right now, I simply don't know."

Feyyanna knew, however.

For she, too, had noticed the way Foxglove echosounded at Otis whenever he flew directly in front of her…


	13. HEISDEKA — A NEW HOPE AND OLD FRIENDS

**HEISDEKA — A NEW HOPE AND OLD FRIENDS**

They finally arrived in Boston, ten nights after the tragedy.

After asking for directions to the local chiropterids, they flew toward a pine next to a colonial church. Perching themselves on a high branch, they echosounded at a hole in the trunk. They had no need to knock or call out, for the occupant emerged three seconds later.

The occupant echosounded at the three pipistrells and asked, "May I help you?"

Foxglove swallowed quite audibly and replied, "G-good evening, ma'am. Is your name Janice?"

The middle-aged bat echosounded at the young one and replied, "Yes, it is."

"Uh, ma'am, we're doing an investigation—we're searching for a parent—did you lose a daughter in a park approximately twenty years ago?"

Janice turned to Foxglove again, only now she echosounded more carefully _and_ looked closer at her as well. Her fur was almost her exact shade, though her facial contours were rather dissimilar. Her heart fluttered as painful memories flashed through her head.

"E-eighteen years ago…I…was flying in a park…near the coast…in Staten Island…it was evening…I was carrying my daughter…my husband was next to me…an owl lady attacked…I dodged her as best as I could…my husband tried to defend me…the owl lady hit me in my wing…I dropped my daughter…my husband was killed…I fell…blacked out…I echosounded for my daughter…and never found her…I always thought the owl lady killed her…unless…unless…is your name Leticia?"

Leticia.

Could that be her _real_ name?

"I…I don't know, Janice. I never knew my mother…or father…or my real name…I call myself Foxglove…"

Janice opened her blue eyes really wide and perked her ears up as much as she could while echosounding at her madly, and asked, "Foxglove? Are you…are you…my…my daughter?"

Here, Foxglove wanted to squeal _YES_, but held back with a tremendous amount of effort, as she needed to ask one more question.

So, she replied, "I…I…_I don't know_! Er…excuse me…" she slowly shook her head back into rationality and continued, "Janice…do you…know _any_ other bat couple who has lost a daughter that way?"

Janice sagged at that last question. A moment later, she echosounded at her again and replied, "Foxglove, I know _six_ couples who have lost a daughter the way I did. It seems that owl lady was waiting in ambush in that park, attacking whatever chiropterid she saw. We all left Staten Island and settled here, those that survived, that is."

"Survived?" her ears perked.

"One couple and their daughter were killed in one evening. Or, that's what I heard. I know for _sure_ that the parents died, but now that _you're_ here…well…it's possible that their daughter may have survived…somehow."

Foxglove continued struggling in a tremendous effort to remain calm. "Janice…how…how many are left?"

"There's me, a male bat, and three couples. I know where they live."

Foxglove's hopes were now quadrupled.

_Three_ full sets of parents, a single mother, and a single father to choose from!

"Janice…can…can you take us to them?"

"Well, I would, but I need to know who your friends are, first."

"Oh! I'm sorry! This is Otis, and his cousin Feyyanna. They're helping me with the investigation. Janice, I hope that either you or the others are my parents. I _really_ need to find them."

"I hope you're my daughter, too, Foxglove. Now come, the day is young!"

With that, the four chiropterids began making their rounds around Boston.

Around 3 a.m., eleven verspetilionids were perched on a willow in a park.

Foxglove looked and echosounded at them individually:

There was Janice, the single mother; Marcus, the single father; Richard and Rosie; Dusk and Dawn; and Curtis and Grace. All of them had grey fur, except for Curtis, who was grey-brown, and all had brown eyes, save for Dawn, who had green eyes, and Richard, who had them hazel. Marcus, however, had similar facial features as Foxglove.

"Well, Foxy, I guess you can now take your pick!" jested Otis.

All the other chiropterids laughed, except for Foxglove, who did not even smile. Seeing that, the bats settled down to an uncomfortable silence.

Foxglove began, "So, _all_ of you lost a daughter eighteen years ago?"

"Seventeen years," said Richard.

"Eighteen years," said Dawn.

"Nineteen years," said Curtis.

"All are in my 'age range', then. And _all_ of you lost her in a park?"

"Yes, sure, yeah," they replied.

Now came the unfortunate process of elimination.

"Did your daughters have blue eyes?"

"Yes," they all replied in unison, surprising each other.

Foxglove blinked at that.

"How can that be? The only one here with blue eyes is Janice!"

"True," replied Marcus, "but I guess that comes because you may have had at least one grandparent with blue eyes."

This wasn't getting Foxglove anywhere.

All the progress she had made had brought her to a complete standstill. But maybe if she forced herself to remember—

"What were your daughters' names?" she asked.

"Leticia," replied Janice.

"Irene," replied Marcus.

"Dawn," replied Dusk.

"Aurora," replied Rosie.

"Alicia," replied Grace.

Foxglove closed her eyes and pressed Rewind on her memory.

Rewind, rewind, rewind, rewind, back to the park, back to hanging on to her mother, remember the scents, remember the sounds, remember the voices, remember the names, remember, remember, remember…

Remember—"Leticia"?

Remember—"Irene"?

Remember—"Dawn"?

Remember—"Aurora"?

Remember—"Alicia"?

Her entire body trembled with frustration as her memory refused to reveal that one particular word, or even the scent.

She then covered her head with her wings and growled, _"AAAARRGGGHHHHH! I—CAN'T—REMEMBER!"_

Gasping, she felt surprised at herself when she realised that even though she felt like crying at this point, her lachrymal glands appeared to have taken a Sabbatical.

"Well, isn't there any other way of finding out who you belong to?" asked Richard.

"I doubt it," replied Otis. "Not without a DNA test. But don't feel too bad, Foxglove. I mean, you _have_ found more friends—"

_"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" _she suddenly exclaimed.

A somewhat shocked and confused male pipistrell replied, "Uh…well, I said that you _do_ have plenty of friends for suppo—"

_"BEFORE THAT!"_

"That you shouldn't feel too bad because—"

**_"BEFORE THAT!"_** Foxglove was practically shrieking now and her tail was twitching.

"That the only way we can find out is through a DNA test?"

_"**YES!**_Oh, Otis, I could just—!"

Foxglove suddenly found herself with her wings wrapped around Otis and her lips _very_ close to his.

Upon realising that, she instantly snatched herself away from him.

Her ears would have drooped if wasn't hanging upside-down, but she wasn't blushing, however, for some reason…

"Uh, sorry, Otis, I don't know what came over me. I…it won't happen again. I…I'm sorry."

The male replied rather sheepishly, "Uh, sure, Foxy, whatever. I'll…I'll try not to be so close to you now. But…a DNA test? I mean, it _can_ figure out who you belong to, but how are we going to get humans to do one of those on all of you? It's not as if they actually have the time for _us_, you know—"

"No, Otis, _humans_ will not perform the test on us. I know _exactly_ who can perform the tests, and they live right nearby, too!"

"Ann who, prayye teyell, arr theeyes pursonns?" asked Feyyanna.

* * *

"Guys, I would like you to meet Sparky and Buzz. Sparky, Buzz, these are my friends Otis, Feyyanna, Janice, Marcus, Dusk, Dawn, Curtis, Grace, Richard, and Rosie."

The rodents and the chiropterids greeted each other.

It was dawn by the time the flock reached the campus of MIT.

Once there, Foxglove led the others to a building in particular. Flying down to its base, they crept through a rodent entrance and flew toward a lab.

They had found the lab rat and the guinea pig fast asleep in their cages, but it wasn't too long until they awakened.

It also wasn't too long until Curtis discovered the reason why the male rat was called "Sparky". After seeing and echosounding Curtis' fur standing on end and the rest of him begin to smoulder momentarily, the other pipistrells decided to greet him with a simple wave of their wings.

"Sparky and Buzz are friends of the Rangers," explained Foxglove. "They met them sometime before they met me, and we've…_they've_ exchanged letters now and then."

"I'll say," remarked Buzz. "Chip wrote a while back and invited us to Dale's wedding, but we were simply too busy to attend."

Sparky added, "Yeah. We were stuck in a series of experiments that we simply couldn't get out of. By the way, Foxglove, whom was Dale getting married to?"

_"Never mind!"_ she squealed.

Then, with drooped ears, she said with a kinder, embarrassed voice, "Oh…sorry, Sparky. Uh, the wedding is not important now."

The other chiropterids felt rather shocked at her last statement.

"Guys, what we need for you to do is a DNA test. We need to know if my DNA matches that of any of these bats. We…need to know if they are related to me, somehow."

Sparky looked at his guinea pig friend for a moment, and then asked him, "Well, Buzz, are you up to this?"

"Hey, it's not like we haven't done this before."

"And how long will this take?" asked Grace.

Buzz replied, "Well, the individual test takes a bit of time, and since there is quite a number of you, it could take a while, but not if we start right now. The humans don't have any tests programmed at the DNA lab today."

Foxglove echosounded at the other bats with pleading and excitement, and they echosounded back at her with approval.

She then turned back to the rodents and exclaimed, with her tail twitching (but still with no smile on her face), "Well, then, let's get started! The sooner we begin, the sooner…yaaaawwwnn…excuse me…we can sleep today!"

With that, the rodents led the chiropterids to the DNA lab…


	14. DODEKA — GADGET'S LAMENT: DEATH OF A DRE

**DODEKA — GADGET'S LAMENT: DEATH OF A DREAM**

Dale turned from the door and glared at Chip.

He was about to chatter at him, but then he said calmly, "Um, sorry, Chip. Perhaps we _do_ need a break."

Chip was also about to begin speaking with a high volume, but Dale's tone muted him. "Yeah, Dale, I'm sorry too. You…you don't _have_ to go up on stage tonight. It looks like you still need a little time to—"

"No, I don't, Chip. Look, I miss Foxy, but she's gone and she won't be back. I already moved on, and the Comedian was left behind, too. I may not tell jokes anymore, but…perhaps…I _could_ use a laugh or two…" He trailed off as he padded back to his room, oblivious of the four sighs of relief that were breathed in the living room.

It finally seemed that Dale was about to get back to his old fun-loving self again. Could it be that things would actually be getting back to normal?

"Wow, six years?" asked Chip to himself, now that the tension had disappeared. "It seems more like four decades since we last saw Clarice! It will be nice to see her up on stage again—whoa!"

Upon hearing that name again, Gadget suddenly laid her ears back, stiffened her tail, grabbed Chip's left paw, and dragged him to her workshop.

Zipper looked at Monterey quizzically, to which he replied, "Don't look now, mate, but I think Gadget's eyes jus' turned from blue to green!"

"Oh, great, that's all we need now. _Another_ soap opera in this house!"

* * *

In the workshop, a jealous mousemaid and a confused chipmunk had just arrived, with the mousemaid slamming the door shut.

"Gadget, what's wrong?" asked the confused chipmunk.

The jealous mousemaid released him, looked at his eyes, and asked, "Chip, how do you feel about Clarice?"

Chip looked at her for a moment with slight suspicion. What had come over her now?

He replied, "Clarice? Well, she's an old friend! She doesn't seem to have changed much since we last saw her. It looks like she's still quite a flirt—"

"From the way she kissed you?"

"Well, she's like that."

"And what did you think about that?"

"About what?"

"The kiss."

Chip turned slightly, lowered his ears a trifle, and stuttered, "Um…well…gee…it…it was unexpected, but she's like that with everybody—"

"Did you like it?" she insisted.

Chip saw that something was obviously bothering her, "Gadget, why are you asking me this? It looks as if you don't like Clarice that much."

Gadget turned and shook her head, "Oh…golly, Chip, I…I know she's an old friend, but…but I don't know her, and she suddenly waltzes in here and kisses everyone…I…I…felt like dismantling her!"

Chip stood back at that.

"_Dismantling_? Why?"

"Because…because…she…she kissed you."

"Gadget, she kissed _everyone_."

"The _way_ she kissed _you_, Chip, I may be naïve, but I'm not blind. Did you and Clarice ever have…a…a…re…relationship?" she stuttered, afraid of discovering a dark point in Chip's past.

Chip simply could not figure out why Gadget was asking him that. Also, the look in her eyes showed pain, as well as a touch of anger, and…and…

_…Jealousy?_

"Gadget, Dale and I met Clarice seven years ago back upstate. We were…a bit reckless back then. It was obvious that we both had feelings for her, but I really doubt she had any feelings for either of us. She…she toyed with us, for a while, but she never gave herself fully to either of us, or anyone else, for that matter. I _would_ have liked a relationship with her, but looking back now, I can see that she was just a flirt, to us, to _everyone_. She doesn't mean any harm, that's just the way she is."

He turned, "I _may_ have had feelings for her, _especially_ during spring…but not anymore." Turning back to her, "She's still my friend, mind you, but I…I…"

He padded up to her, looked into her beautiful china blue eyes, and stated, "Gadget, I don't _love_ her, I'm not _in love_ with her, not anymore, if _that's_ what you're asking."

With that, Gadget sighed as her fit of jealousy subsided. She raised her ears, relaxed her tail, turned, padded back to her chair, and sat down.

Chip, however, turned the tables and continued, still with low ears, "Now, Gadget…why? Why? What…what came over you that you had to ask me all of this?"

Gadget slowly turned to face him, waited a moment, laid her ears down again, and replied, "Chip, I'm…I'm sorry I questioned you like that. It's just that I…that I…have never felt so jealous before."

"Jealous? Of what?"

Gadget sighed, stood up, and padded back toward him.

"Chip, three weeks ago, when Fat Cat was about to kill us all and you offered your life in order to save the rest of us, I…I suddenly realised…some things…some…feelings I had…feelings…I had…for you. So, when Clarice came in here and kissed you, I felt…I felt as if she was…was…stealing…you…from…from…me, Chip…stealing…_you_…from _me_."

The sciurid sighed and turned away.

Pain was developing in _his_ chest now.

His tail drooped.

"It became clear to me the night of the kidnapping, Chip, but only now did I actually see the whole picture. Also…also…the day Dale came back, we had a little talk. He told me some things…which confirmed what I felt just now."

Chip perked his ears up and looked at her rather surprised now, "Things? What _things_ did he tell you?"

Gadget took a deep breath and tried to reply, "He told me…he told me…that…that…that you loved me…Chip Maplewood."

The tamias turned away again in unexplainable pain, as his ears drooped again.

"Is…is that true?" she insisted. "Chip, _do_ you love me?"

When the tamias turned to reply, the mus could not understand _why_ the same pain she saw in Dale's eyes was now in _Chip's_.

"Yes," he replied, with a very pained voice.

And as he continued, he turned away again. "From the moment I saw you take off your helmet when we first met you, I have loved you more than you could _ever_ imagine, Gadget Hackwrench."

"Oh, Chip—"

Gadget extended her arms and was about to embrace him, but for some insane reason, the sciurid dodged her embrace, confusing the murid _again_.

She looked at him quizzically, and was able to utter only one word in response to that action, "W-what?"

With a pained sigh, Chip looked out the window, and asked, "Did he tell you anything else?"

Gadget was now on the receiving end of the interrogation.

She stumbled, "He…he told me that it would mean the world to you if I loved you back…that he didn't want to see you fighting for me anymore…that I should _at least_ give you a chance…that you _deserved_ a chance…and that _I_ deserved a chance with you, too…and that if I loved you I would make you the happiest chipmunk on earth…and that I would be very happy with you, too…"

Her voice trailed off as he slowly padded toward the window. Confusion of infinite proportions was coming over her now.

She padded up to him and held his left paw, "Uh, Chip, I…I've been thinking about what Dale said, and…and with what happened today, I…I r-really want to give you a chance…to give _us_ a chance. To make both of us _happy_."

Still Chip would not turn toward her. Instead, he looked at the floor.

So, she padded around him, held both of his paws, and continued, "Chip, really, I…I…guess that all this time I had also loved you, but I didn't know that until recently—"

He felt cold, _very_ cold. And he still would not look at her.

"Chip, isn't this what you also wanted? For me to love you back?"

Still there was no response from him; his pained eyes showed that he was thinking about something else.

"Chip, what's wrong with you?" she asked, beginning to get annoyed, both at her confusion _and_ his lack of response, "Don't you _want_ me to love you? Why are you so cold all of the sudden?"

The sciurid then looked up at her, and replied softly, "Gadget, do you _really_ think that I haven't noticed your advances?"

The murid looked at him, somewhat surprised, perking up her ears a trifle.

Chip chuckled slightly and explained, "And do you also know that if your had told me this three weeks ago, I would be over the moon?"

The mousemaid's expression changed from surprised to surprised _and_ more-confused-than-a-crashed-computer's-memory.

"Gadget, I hate to tell you this, but…Dale _also_ had a talk with me." He turned away and looked at the floor once again, much to Gadget's frustration. "Didn't you hear it?"

"Well, yes, but you guys yell so fast we can't understand a word you say."

Chip sighed, "Well, among other things, Dale told me that…that I…that _we_…have hurt him."

"Hurt him?" The mousemaid was not going to accept that easily, unless Chip was only referring to _himself_—

"Gadget, you've never considered Dale to be _very_ intelligent, have you?"

Now that was definitely a monkey wrench for her. Her ears lowered. "Well…um…uh…I…er…not…_too_ intelligent, I suppose—"

"Gadget, for a long time, _all_ of us have thought of him as stupid, as a clown. I mean, who of us _hasn't_ cringed when he has offered to help us?"

That last question was enough to drain all of her blood to her foot-paws, "B-but Chip, when he has helped us, things…um—"

"Get screwed up, by his clumsiness, I know. But not _all_ the time. I…_we_ have pushed him…_typecast_ him to the role of Clown and Klutz. For a long time he's been trying to go beyond that, to _truly_ be serious when things needed to be…and _still_ we rejected all input from him. We automatically rejected every comment, clue, and reasonable doubt that came from him and labelled it as worthless. Gadget, it has gone _far_ beyond bonking. I've…we've made him feel worthless and insignificant. There were many times when he wanted to protest against us, even against _you_, Gadget, but he chose not to do so, because he didn't want to hurt you. He never wanted to hurt anyone. All he ever wanted was to make others feel better. And when Foxglove came along, he finally had an outlet; he finally had someone who believed in him, something _we_ failed to do."

To Gadget, it seemed as if a meaningless blueprint was suddenly acquiring meaning, but in this case, it was a _very_ scary meaning.

Her mind suddenly flashed back to Brazil, and then to France, with every single word she said to Dale playing back loud and clear:

_ "Golly, could Dale be right after all?"_

_ "Well, if you believe in the ethereal theory that everything happens for a reason, then it wasn't your fault. Technically, however, you're_…_a Goof-up."_

She suddenly realised that she had _hurt_ someone she cared about.

She had deliberately caused _pain_ to someone else, something she swore she would never do, not after all the pain _she_ went through.

She even took steps to avoid pain herself, _and_ made sure that neither Chip nor Dale got broken hearts from her, either.

And now, her invention, which she thought would work with no problems, had suddenly exploded in her face.

She had become a monster.

And that monster had hurt a loved one.

And what was worse, she was practically the last one to know about it.

Her ears and tail drooped more.

Her eyes began to sting.

"But even then, he…he found out many things about himself which he knew would be a danger to both him _and_ Foxglove. And…a-also, in that talk, Dale asked me a question, a hypothetical question, and I haven't been able to get that question out of my mind for the past three weeks."

Gadget shakily took one step forward, "W-what did he ask you?"

Chip looked up for a moment, turned to her again, and continued, "Dale was…explaining to me…why I made the right decision in leaving him behind. He fainted on his _wife_, Gadget, and though it wasn't his fault, he can't ever forgive himself for doing that, and he also realised that his foul-ups would be lethal to _all_ of us now, and to his _wife_ and _cubs_. But then he went on to explain the other reasons why he could never marry Foxglove; he mentioned his 'family curse'…and then he mentioned our enemies. Gadget, Fat Cat saw a chance to get all of us, and he made as best use of that situation as he could."

He looked down as his paws trembled momentarily; the torturing question surfacing from his memory banks.

He looked at Gadget again, and trembled with stiff ears, tail, and clenched incisors, "And then he asked me, _'Can you imagine what would have happened if he had gotten not only Foxy, but also my three cubs and your son?'_"

The two rodents looked at each other, in complete silence.

Gadget's mind raced as she visualised that situation, momentarily forgetting her own actions against Dale: Fat Cat kidnapping Foxglove, along with Dale's three cubs, and…and…

_…Her son._

What would _her_ reaction have been in that situation?

"Dale then said, 'There's no way we could get married, not with danger being all around us!' So, Gadget, I've…I've been giving…us…some thought, and…and I kept thinking of how our families would be raised, and…and…I came…to the conclusion that this is really not the right environment to raise a family—"

"Chip, how can you say that—!" she squeaked, stiffening her ears and tail.

_"Gadget!"_ he chattered, interrupting her.

Calming down for a moment, he continued, "D-dear Gadget…I don't want my cubs to stay up late at night wondering if their parents are going to come home or not! And what's more, I certainly don't want my cubs to be _anyone's_ target!"

"But Chip, it _doesn't_ have to be like that! We don't _always_ have to be Rescue Rangers—!"

The sciurid's tail relaxed, but his ears remained drooped. "Gadget, if you wish to move on and have a family of your own…well…I can't stop you. I love you and I want you to be happy. But I can't let my emotions come in the way of fighting crime. The Rangers have helped many animals and humans; we just can't end that!"

"Chip, there are _plenty_ of policemen out there with families of their own! Even FBI and CIA agents have cubs…er…children too, you know! Chip, why are you afraid? We've all made mistakes, but it doesn't have to be as Dale thinks it will be! Please! Let's give _us_ a chance, at least!"

"Gadget, you don't know for how long I've wanted to accept that, but I've been thinking _everything_ over as best as I could, and…and I _can't_ come up with anything other than the fact that we just can't raise a family here! There's no way it can be done while keeping them safe from our enemies! I don't want me _or_ my cubs to go through what Dale and Foxglove went through…_do you_?"

"Chip, you know I wouldn't wish that on our worst enemy. But even if it does happen, they won't be alone. Foxglove had _us_ to help her, and even when we failed, there was Dale and his new friends. Chip, we have plenty of enemies, but I think that our friends outnumber them. Our family will never be alone, not even in the times of danger! But please, Chip, give us a chance. Give _yourself_ a chance!"

She then padded up to him, took his paws in hers again, lowered her ears and tail, and stated with all of her heart, mind, and body, "Chip Maplewood…I love you, too."

Chip's countenance acquired even _more_ pain.

His jaw quivered for an instant.

His tail wasn't moving.

He was _far_ from being the happiest chipmunk on earth.

"Gadget, you don't know how much I wish that you would have said that three weeks ago. But…I've made my decision, and…and…in our times of danger, I don't want _you_ to worry about _me_ more than you would worry about _Zipper_. It just wouldn't be fair to you…or him…or me. I can see now that it wasn't fair to Dale or Foxglove. And I can also see that with our line of work I can't have the relationship I so desperately longed to have with you…nor with _anyone_…without placing you in additional danger than the rest, as Dale did with Foxy."

He sighed with immense pain, and concluded, "I am going to write to my parents and tell them that I simply cannot give them grandcubs…that I _never_ can now. I _do_ wish that there was some other way to deal with this, but there isn't. Dear Gadget, I love you with all my heart, but our love can never become what we want it to be. It's better if we leave things as they are…as…as they were before. It was wrong for us…for me…to try to change them. I'm sorry, Gadget. I'm sorry for competing for your attention, and for all the times I bothered you and made you uncomfortable because of it, and for forcing you to choose between Dale and me. And I assure you that it will _never_ happen again. Gadget, I love you, and I'm sorry."

With the same pain Dale had three weeks ago, he softly kissed her forehead, released her paws, and padded toward the door.

Suddenly, a monster stiffened her ears and tail and growled, _"I'LL KILL DALE FOR THIS!"_

"He already beat you to that," he replied quietly, turning toward her as he opened the door. "But don't worry, he doesn't hold anything against you, or any of us. Now, I think we should get ready to leave. I'll see you later."

He closed the door and left, leaving behind the dream he had longed for three years now, leaving it behind forever…

Gadget, meanwhile, suddenly realised what she had just declared.

The monster wanted to _kill_.

The feelings she thought she had reserved for the bad guys had suddenly been transferred to someone she _cared_ about.

She had _hurt_ Dale.

_And_ Chip.

She slowly padded backwards to the table, trying to sort out what she felt and why she felt it, trying to figure out why this invention failed—

She saw a small mirror tile on the table.

In it, she saw a monster.

A monster that wanted to _kill_.

In an attempt to separate herself from the monster, she grabbed the tile and flung it at the wall, where it shattered and fell, but now, on the floor, there were a hundred monsters where there was only one before.

All manner of logic and calculation shut down at this point. She slowly backed up from the monsters until she reached a corner of her workshop, and there, she collapsed to a sitting position, drooping her ears, tightly hugging her legs, and wrapping her tail around herself, trying to isolate and protect herself from the monster, from that which wanted to hurt her loved ones—

From this monster named Gadget Hackwrench.

She cried again, without reason, thought, or analysis…

Much the same way a little mousemaid cried when her father died, several years ago…

She just cried, cried, and cried like never before…

…that afternoon, two more hearts had just been disintegrated…


	15. DEKATREIS — FOXGLOVE'S LAMENT: DESESPERA

**DEKATREIS — FOXGLOVE'S LAMENT: DESESPERADA**

Foxglove drooped her ears and tail, read the printouts for the _nth_ time, and then crumpled them up before throwing them aside. With total anger, disappointment, rage, and grief, she turned away from the bats, the rat, and the guinea pig.

"Foxy, I'm sorry," said the rat, beginning to approach her. "But that five percent match on each sample simply means that they are verspetilionids just like you!"

The infuriated batmaid covered her head with her wings, as if she were trying to shut off all sound from that know-it-all-while-being-absent-minded rat.

She was a bat, however, so it didn't work.

"None of them even come close to being a cousin ten times removed! They just are not related to you in any way other than the fact that they are bats!"

Foxglove remained with her head covered, so Sparky gave up.

He turned to the other chiropterids and asked, "So, I suppose all of you are disappointed, too?"

The others also had sad ears and tails, and Janice replied, crying, "More than you can imagine, Sparky. Foxglove, you don't know how much we wished for you to be our daughter, but even with this failure, you have proven to us that _all_ of our daughters are truly dead! Foxy…you…you gave us peace…after twenty years, Foxy, we finally have peace…knowing that our daughters are resting."

Buzz added, "I suppose this means that you were the daughter of the couple that died. Foxglove, I'm sorry—"

Suddenly, she turned and pleaded, "Did you know them? Did _any_ of you know them?"

The other chiropterids just stood in total silence; a silence that to a bat was akin to being dead.

"Their _names_," she insisted. "Did anyone know their _names_, their _last names_, at least?"

Silence.

_"Please!"_ she growled. "Did _anyone_ echosound at them? Smelled them? Or _looked_ at them, at least?"

Here, Dawn took a deep breath, trying to sort out her memories. She padded up to Foxglove, and began, "It was the same evening in which we lost our daughter. We can't remember them exactly, Foxglove, and all we heard was an owl lady swooping down on a bat couple, with the mother dropping her daughter just as the owl lady captured her and her husband. The owl lady was too swift, so our warnings were too late. The owl lady landed on a building, but that was only to deposit her prey. We immediately flew down to try to rescue the infant but then the owl lady came in and attacked us. We were able to dodge her, but then she made a swoop and knocked my daughter off me. When we levelled off, I heard her dive and grab something, and heard her carry off our daughter and someone whom we thought was the other infant. The bats had…your fur colour, I suppose…they…kinda sounded and smelled like you, though we can't remember exactly now. All we can remember is detecting a couple and their cub. We never knew their names. Foxy, we're sorry, but your parents are truly dead. You don't know how s—"

"No!" she blurted.

"Uh…no," she repeated, trying to sound more polite, "please, don't feel sorry for me. I mean, I gave you peace when you found out your daughters were truly dead, so…I guess…I guess…_I_ now have peace knowing that _my_ parents are dead and that I will never see nor hear them again and that I will never know my real name, ever. But…but please, don't feel bad about me. I'm sorry I made you go through all this trouble for nothing. Dusk, Dawn, thanks for saving my life."

She then hugged the bat couple.

Releasing them, she sighed, "I…I guess I should be going now. Well, it was nice meeting you—"

"Foxglove, please don't talk that way!" exclaimed Janice, mother-like. "We _did_ get something out of all of this: we got the truth, even though it's painful. And you got something else: plenty of new friends. You can stay here in Boston and _we'll_ be your friends and…and…family, if you want…"

Foxglove shuddered.

_"Go and live with the other bats…Find your family! Find your past!…You may like it better over there…you may like them better…better than me."_

And now she was feeling terrified when she realised she was actually beginning to feel better.

She was actually _getting…_

_ …over…_

_ …DALE_.

The gorgeous tamias was now heading toward the darkest recesses of her memory…

And what was worse, she realised that Dale had been _right_ in letting her go.

"Foxglove, it's not the end of the world," said Otis. "Look, you've been through Hell, and while none of us can share the pain you felt, there's no reason why you can't start something new."

Feyyanna added, "Thayat's raght! Ah mean, eff yew heyelpt udders ess a Reskew Rainger, yew kinn stiyill heyelp udders wiyith summthin' eyelse! Ah mean, yew juss heyelpt awll uff theyese bayats fannd peece!"

Marcus continued, "She's right. And you _do_ know the phrase, 'Happy are the peacemakers'—"

The look and echosounding Foxglove gave him made Markus' blood freeze.

She may have given them peace, but she _certainly_ did _not_ look nor sound happy.

Otis then added, "Look, Foxglove, now that your search has ended, you need to start a new one, one which will enable you to help yourself as well as others."

"But I don't know what to do now!" she exclaimed.

"Well," said Curtis. "Other than detective work, what else can you do?"

Foxglove thought for a moment, and replied, "I…I suppose I can do anything any other bat can do: see in the dark, use echolocation—"

"Yew kinn allso flaye kwite a disstensse!" added Feyyanna with a smile, perking her ears up a trifle.

Foxglove calmed down, but she didn't smile back.

She replied as-a-matter-of-factly, "Well, yes, I can. My time with the Rangers got me in shape…and…" Her memory clicked in. "…I also speak some Laotian, and some Spanish now."

"_You_ speak _Spanish_?" asked Sparky, incredulously, perking up his ears. "Where did you learn _that_?"

"Gadget gave me a short-wave radio—" Her throat tightened as painful memories came back. She tried to recover, "I…uh…I learned other languages through…foreign broadcasts. I…may be a bit rusty since…since…I haven't heard…the short-wave for some time now…a lot has happened to me…lately…I suppose…"

Sparky smiled, "Oh, I don't know about that! One of the scientists here is from Florida, and he brought a tape with Spanish music. And much as I've tried to translate it myself, I just can't seem to get the hang of foreign languages. Now, I'm dying to know what some of those songs are saying, because the music is rather lively. Do you think you can help with that, Foxglove?"

The batmaid thought for a moment and replied, "I'll try, but I don't guarantee that I'll be able to get it all, Sparky."

"All right then! The tape and player is in the next room. Follow me!"

The bats thusly followed the rat and guinea pig.

As they scampered/flew to the next room, Otis told Foxglove, "If you speak good Spanish and Laotian, maybe you can learn other languages as well. You could become an interpreter!"

"Well, I was beginning to learn some French and German so I could help the Rangers. I was on my way of becoming their linguistics engineer…when…everything happened."

"Don't feel bad about that. You can _still_ be a top linguist _and_ help others through that. That _could_ be your new quest now."

Foxglove raised her ears, echosounded at his handsome face, and was lost in it for a moment, before she replied, "Thanks, Otis. Thank you for everything."

And neither seemed to mind being somewhat closer to each other—

"Here it is!" exclaimed Buzz.

The mammals gathered around the small tape player on the table as Sparky inserted a tape and pressed play.

A song was ending, apparently one dealing with electricity, but it sounded more like a jingle.

All the bats winced and covered their ears, however, but neither Sparky nor Buzz knew why. Dusk then padded up and turned the volume down to a comfortable level, bringing the rodents to a sudden reckoning:

"Oh, sorry, guys."

They then heard the DJ say, _"Este es Equis Hache Ene Ele, ciento cuatro punto ocho megahertz, en frecuencia modulada. Y ahora, aquí está Martha Sánchez."_

Everyone looked/echosounded at Foxglove, expectant-like.

Suddenly realising what she was supposed to be doing, she perked up her ears and translated, "Um, this is…uh…he gave the station ID, on FM, I think…and…here's…uh…he named the performer, I think. Oh, Sparky, I told you I was a bit rusty!"

"Well, Foxy, don't feel bad about that. It will all come back to you! And if you need to, we'll just rewind and play the song over in case you get stuck on some parts." he replied, smiling.

But again, she did not smile back.

Even Sparky was beginning to wonder what had come over that batmaid.

The song began.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=QjgD9W3DnJw )

It was a rather lively rhythm, or lively at least, to people that were feeling more than blue, though it had just a touch of mellowness. The main instrument appeared to be a flute, but Foxglove's keen ears and her experience with Dale's music told her that the sound was synthesised.

Then, a woman began to sing in Spanish, pronouncing her Z's and soft C's like "th", characteristic of an Iberian accent:

_"¡Ho, yeah!_

_ ¡Ho, ho, ho!_

_ Soy una mujer normal,_

_ Una rosa blanca de metal."_ Foxglove stumbled as she tried to synchronise her vocabulary with the Latin beat,

"I'm…uh…a normal woman…a white rose of metal…? Um—"

_"Pero en este amanecer,"_

"But in this…er…dawn—"

_"El dolor me vuelve de papel."_ Now that line did not make sense, at first.

"The pain turns me into paper?" Nevertheless, something began forming in Foxglove's chest again.

_"Camino bajo el sol."_

"I…I walk under the sun—"

_"Pero es invierno en mi corazón."_

"But it's…um…winter in my heart—?" Something began forming in her throat as well.

_"Así estoy yo:"_

"Th-that's how I am—"

_"¡Desesperada!"_

"Desperate…um, a desperate one…er, woman—" The rest stood stone still, not necessarily to hear the music or its translation.

_"Porque nuestro amor,"_

"Be…because our love—" Her ears and tail drooped again.

_"Es una esmeralda que un ladrón—robó."_

"Is…is an emerald that a _thief_…um…stole—" Her voice cracked here.

_"¡Desesperada!"_

"D-desperate…woman—" Something about this song was pulling something from within her, something _painful_—

_"Porque ya no sé,"_

"Because I don't know anym—" Her last word was cut off, and she couldn't seem to translate fast enough.

_"Donde está mi sueño ni por qué se fue."_

"W-where my sleep is nor why…why he left…or where my dream is nor why it left, I'm not sure there—" Identifiable emotions were _definitely_ surfacing now.

_"No tengo a donde ir."_

"I…I have nowhere to go—" All right, who wrote this song, anyway?

_"¡Sin ti!"_

"Without you—" She seemed to almost shiver here.

_"Sólo puedo repetir:"_

"I can only repeat—"

_"¡Desesperada!"_

That word required no further translation. It was now slowly sinking in to Sparky and Buzz that something was not completely right around here. Maybe if they let the song play on they would be able to figure it out—

_"¡Pero tengo que seguir!"_

"But I have to go on—" She suddenly straightened up, as her vocabulary was now fully synched, driven by both memory and emotion.

_"Queda mucha vida por vivir…"_

"There's a lot of life left to live—" Dale's words drifted into her memory again,

_"¡…En mí!"_

"In…in me—" _"…Don't go back to your old life. Start a new one…"_

_"¡Oh-oh-oh! ¡Y de pronto llegará!"_ She stumbled a trifle, as the performer suddenly cut off the phrase,

"And…and suddenly…um…something will arrive—"

_"Un amor que no se marchará…"_

"A…a _love_ that will never march…I mean…will not leave—" Otis wasn't sure if she stumbled because of grammar or pain.

_"¡…Jamás!"_

"N-never—" He suddenly held his breath.

_"Seré feliz con él."_

"I will be happy with him—" Foxglove appeared to be echosounding at him, but she had a rather distant look in her eyes.

_"Y en su mirada yo me perderé."_

"And I will be lost in his gaze—" Otis became nervous as he realised she was echosounding _and_ GAZING into his eyes now.

_"Y no estaré:"_

"And I won't be—" He lowered his ears a trifle.

_"¡Desesperada!"_ He wasn't too sure what she was thinking now. What was more, he wasn't too sure he wanted to find out.

_"Porque nuestro amor,"_ The chorus repeated with back-ups "doo-doo'ing" softly, and this time, she translated without faltering.

"Because our love—" Her gaze and echo was distant again, looking and echosounding toward the past, toward what had brought her to this point.

_"¡Es una esmeralda que un ladrón—robó!"_

"Is an emerald that a thief stole—" It had been Fat Cat's fault. They all knew that now.

_"¡Sí, sí, sí, Desesperada!"_ There was no need to add all the "yes's", but Foxglove _knew_ what she had turned into now:

"Desperate woman—"

_"Porque ya no sé,"_

"Because I don't know anymore—" Though it was perfectly logical at the time, it suddenly did not make sense now:

_"Donde está mi sueño ni por qué—se fue."_

"Where my dream is nor why it left—" Why your Dream left you. Why you left him. Why he let you go.

_"¡No tengo a donde ir!"_ Foxglove suddenly realised she had no true destination in life,

"I have nowhere to go—"

_"¡Sin ti!"_ The "ooh's" became more insistent, as well as Foxglove's pain.

"Without you—"

_"Sólo puedo re-petir:"_

"I can only repeat—" She was without Dale, and had now become what this song declared,

_"¡De-ses-pe-ra-da!"_

The main instruments then hushed, leaving only the percussion to accompany the performer, making the lyrics even _clearer_:

_"Pero tengo que salir."_

"Uh, but I have to get out?" She stumbled again, as the bridge suddenly introduced Spanish colloquialisms,

_"¡Tengo que escapar al fin de ti…!"_

"Um…I have to finally escape from…from you—" Escape from Dale? Could that have been what he wanted all along?

_"¡…De mí!"_

"F-from me—?" Or, escape from _herself_?

_"¡Oh, sí! Y dejar la oscuridad,"_

"And…and leave the darkness—" Whether nocturnal, or of a dark and obscure life, from which Dale had rescued her…

_"Sepultada en la profundidad…"_

"Buried in the depth—"

_"¡…Del mar!"_

"Of…of the sea—" That was what the others recommended. What Dale wanted. To bury her old life…

_"Camino bajo el sol,"_

"I walk under the sun—" Under the sun and under the earth as well, at night…

_"Pero es invierno en mi corazón."_

"But it's winter in my heart—" Forever winter, forever cold, the warmth of love stolen from her like an emerald stolen by a feline thief…

_"Así estoy yo:"_

"That's how I am—" Now, and forever:

_"¡Desesperada!"_ Janice echosounded at her, again. Maybe, just maybe if she let the rest _help_ her—

_"Porque nuestro amor,"_ Now the performers "heeh'ed" and "doo'ed", but Foxglove had unfortunately committed the chorus to her permanent memory,

"Because our love—" It was more than clear now.

_"¡Es una esmeralda que un ladrón—robó!"_

"Is an emerald that a thief stole—" Rescued, and yet stolen…

_"¡Sí, sí, sí, Desesperada!"_ Even the performer was beginning to sound desperate.

"Desperate woman—!" At this point, her breathing pattern began to falter. The pain was building up to unbearable levels.

_"Porque ya no sé,"_

"Because I don't know anymore—" Feyyanna and Janice began approaching her, but they weren't too sure what to do now: whether to let the song continue or to stop it immediately—

_"Donde está mi sueño ni por qué—se fue."_

"Where my dream is nor why it left—" Or even where her "sleep" is, as she was having trouble sleeping, too.

_"¡Oh! ¡Oh! ¡Oh, Desesperada!"_ Her wings were now curling into tight balls.

_"¡Porque nuestro amor!"_ The other performers insisted with the "eeh's", as did Foxglove when she translated the chorus again; her output was now coming from her heart and not her head.

"Because our love—" Her voice began acquiring a desperate tone as well.

_"¡Es una esmeralda que un ladrón—robó!"_

"Is an emerald that a thief stole—" And she was speaking through clenched teeth as well.

_"¡Sí, __D e e e e e s e e e e e s p e e e e e r a a a a a a a a d a a a a a a__!"_

It almost seemed as if the performer was publicly declaring Foxglove's condition, like a "kick me" sign pasted on her back for all to see and hear. She couldn't bring herself to say that term again. But the performer insisted, in what Foxglove could only interpret as a degrading label, an insult, a ridicule, a mockery of her situation:

_"¡De-SEEEES-pe-ra-da!"_

"Desperate wom—" Foxglove suddenly took off and flew out a window. Otis and Feyyanna took off after her one second later, leaving the others behind. Then, the rest of the chiropterids flew out the window as well, leaving behind the rat and the guinea pig with their tape player, as the performer faded out:

_"Ho ho ho woooooooooooh…_

_ ¡Woo hoo…! Yea-yea-yea-yea…"_

"Was it something I said?" asked Sparky.

* * *

Fly, fly, fly, fly as far as you can, as fast as you can, away from that accursed mocker, from that accursed song, from that accursed place, from the pain, from having a Good Night's Sleep ever again, from your Dream, from the one who left you because he loved you, just fly, fly, fly, and never go back, never speak to anyone again, to never feel pain again, to never again be a _Desesperada_—

"Foxglove, wait!"

Fly; away from the handsome one who just _couldn't_ be your brother, fly, to never fall in love again, to never retrieve that stolen emerald—

But, even though the black hole and the hexagonal knot came back, she could not will herself to cry, for some reason.

_"FOXY!"_

Suddenly, she heard Otis on her right, panting.

_"WILL YOU STOP FOR A MOMENT?"_

"Otis, please, just leave me alone! I'm sorry I bothered you all! I won't bother anyone again! But just go home!"

"What? [pant pant] I thought _you_ were already doing that!"

"Huh?"

"Why are _you_ going home, then?" he screeched.

_"I'M NOT!"_ she screeched back.

"Then why the hell are you flying back to New York?"

Suddenly, Foxglove hovered, ears up, making Otis overshoot her. She echosounded all around her, and realised that this was indeed the flight path that led back to New York City.

As to _why_ she was doing that, she did not have the foggiest idea.

The other verspetilionids then caught up to her, also panting.

"I think I'm getting old," gasped Curtis.

"No—[gasp]—she's juss a Reskew Ranger. She kin flayye reelly fass—[gasp]—yew knewe."

When Otis came back, Foxglove lowered her head and ears and apologised, "Uh, sorry guys, I didn't mean to fly out on you like that. It's just that…that—"

"Say no more," said Dusk. "We should have stopped that song before it began."

"Foxy, we're sorry about your parents, and about what happened to you. But please, you've got to control yourself a bit more," said Janice.

"Now, then, why were you flying back to New York? Were you headed for the UN so soon?" asked Grace.

"The what?"

"The UN," explained Otis. "United Nations. A place where interpreters are highly valued?"

"Uh, well, I don't know. I just took off, I didn't know where I was going, but—"

"Hey, wait a minute!" exclaimed Richard. "If you're an interpreter, and if you're headed for the UN, then you could be of great use to the Rescue Aid Society!"

Foxglove winced when she heard the word _Rescue_. "Huh?"

Richard explained, "The RAS is an organisation that helps animals all over the world in natural disasters, protects them from illegal hunting, you name it. I have a ferret friend who joined last year, and he told me that they are always looking for interpreters. Perhaps you'd want to check out that place?"

Foxglove just hovered, as her emotions began storming within her again. Here were new friends, offering her a new life, a life free from danger, a life that Dale wanted her to have—

So she would be _happy_…

The strange thing was that even though everything was falling into place now, she was _far_ from feeling happy.

In fact, she felt unbelievably scared:

_Dale had been right._

"Foxy, if you want to, Feyyanna and I will take you back to New York and look for the RAS. But we only ask of you that you don't isolate yourself. We'll help you start a new life. _We'll_ be your family now."

Foxglove echosounded at Otis for a moment, and replied, "O-okay, Otis. You can come. I suppose I need to stop being a loner again. Thanks."

Otis smiled, "You're welcome. But could you fly a little slower this time, maybe?"

Foxglove didn't reply. Instead, she appeared to be lost in something she was echosounding at…


	16. DEKATESSARES — THE NUTSHELL CLUB

**DEKATESSARES — THE NUTSHELL CLUB**

The nightclub was under a fancy restaurant in Broadway. It was spacious, with a dance floor surrounded by some 30 rodent-sized tables, all facing a large stage. There was space for a small orchestra on the back of the stage, just in front of the blue curtain.

Most of the tables were occupied, with animals of various species: mice, hedgehogs, chipmunks, squirrels, guinea pigs, gerbils, ferrets, birds, and an occasional Chihuahua dog.

The front door opened, and two chipmunks, two mice, and a fly entered.

The _maitre'd_, a well-dressed mouse, padded up to them, "The Rescue Rangers, I believe?"

They nodded, silently.

"Yes. Miss Tamiassara reserved your table up front. Follow me."

As the murid led the Rangers to their table, they looked around the club, admiring it. However, by the expression on their faces and by their limp tails and sagging ears, they didn't appear to be very happy to be there.

Chip appeared to be in pain; Gadget appeared to be angry, sad, and pained at something, or someone; Monterey appeared worried about something, or someone, or some others; Zipper appeared to be worried about Monterey; and Dale was simply stone-faced.

They sat at their table, in an unhealthy silence.

Chip could not believe that earlier today he had blown off the chance of a lifetime to have a lifetime with Gadget, even after she pleaded with him. But it had been the logical thing to do, no matter the amount of horrible pain…

Gadget could not believe that Chip had rejected her nor could she believe that she and the others had hurt Dale in such a horrible way, so horrible, that she had no idea how to bring herself to apologise to him and much less make amends with him especially now that he had acquired a new personality…

Monterey could not believe that the new soap opera had affected the mousemaid he had sworn to protect, not to mention the chipmunk he _knew_ she loved. He could not believe how the simple death of a "Comic Relief" had affected all of them so deeply…

Zipper could not believe how the entire team seemed to be falling apart right in front of his eyes, like one of Gadget's no-problem inventions. It was as if someone had pulled out a proverbial stone that no one knew held the entire structure together until it fell to pieces…

Dale could not believe they were here. All he wanted to do was to oblige Clarice by attending tonight, and then just get out of here, out of this place that at one time he would have gladly enjoyed, but was now completely alien to his new personality…

Forty-five seconds later, the celebrity chipmunkmaid, still in her light blue dress, joined them.

"Hey, guys!" she exclaimed, "Did someone die and not tell me? Why all the long faces?"

Chip replied, "Huh? Oh, it's nothing, Clarice. We just had a slow day."

"Well, don't you worry, sugar. We've got some ten comedians waiting backstage, and with luck, they'll have you laughing in no time!"

"Luck?" asked Zipper.

"She means that they're amateurs," explained Dale, coldly.

Clarice then blinked seductively at him, "Well, maybe we would have a pro if a certain chipmunk would just change his mind—"

Dale just looked at her, almost robot-like.

Clarice felt uneasy now, and sat back on her chair.

For the first time in her career, a male did _not_ respond to her advances.

"Uh, sorry, Dale. I was just hoping…um, never mind."

She was saved by the lights, however, as they dimmed and a spotlight shone on centre stage.

A male squirrel, wearing a black jacket, padded up from stage left to a rodent-sized mike stand (the mike was a clip-on type fastened to a Tinker-Toy wheel and stick), and declared, "Welcome, males and females, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, once again to The Nutshell Club! Tonight, as you know, is Comedy Night, and we've decided to make it an Open Mike night, though this mike looks somewhat closed here, ahem—"

A rimshot from the band declared that last phrase to be a joke, though some animals in the audience moaned at it.

"But really, folks, we have a great evening planned out for everyone—I just hope our plans don't backfire—[rimshot, moaning]—and we have lined up a great cast of the best amateur comedians in town—if there is such a thing—[rimshot, more moaning]. Ha, geez, it sounds like someone here needs some antacid or something—[rimshot with same results]. Oh well, I'd better get off this stage before I throw our plans out the door. Okay, now, here's our first victim—I mean 'comedian'. He's a highly respected mouse from Queens, so let's give a big paw tooooo…Mortimer!"

As the squirrel skipped off to stage left again, Dale commented, "He's not bad as an emcee, but I doubt he knows how to combine it with comedy."

The others looked at him for a moment, not too sure of what to make of that comment.

Then, a mouse with a turquoise and red chequered shirt padded up from stage right.

The applause was polite at best, and the mus began, "Hey, is this an audience or what—?—I mean—an instant photo?"

No one in the audience laughed.

"Bad delivery," commented Dale, just above a whisper.

Mortimer continued, "Boy, this is going to be tough. And I thought _my_ family was skeptical. I told them I wanted to be a comedian, but they laughed at me. And now, no one is doing that!" He flung his arms wide and smiled rather nerdishly, but again there was no response. Even the drum player missed his rimshot cue.

"Incorrect punch line," analysed the robotic chipmunk, looking at the would-be comedian.

Chip wasn't too sure what to do about that. It looked like it was going to be a long night.

And a long night it was.

The emcee had been correct, there was no such thing as a "best amateur". The comedians: mice, squirrels, rats, and even a blue jay, came on stage, honestly trying to make some animal laugh, but the best they got was an analytical review from a certain rodent:

"He failed on his set-up."

"Wrong delivery again."

"She doesn't know the meanin' of the word 'timin'."

"Excessive set-up, vague punch line."

"Too much pantomime."

One squirrel, however, said the following:

"Well, ###### ###### ###### ###### audience and ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### don't give a ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### for ###### ###### ###### to make _any_ ###### ###### ###### ######! _Ha ha_!"

To which Dale commented, "He shouldn't laugh at his own joke."

"You call that a _joke_?" spat Chip.

"Well, it _did_ have a hint of absurdity, didn't you notice, Chip?"

"I think that the only 'int was that this lad 'ung around too many sailors!" added Monterey.

"What'ya mean 'sailors'? That sounded more like stable-talk to me!" buzzed Zipper.

"I've heard more laughs at a funeral!" moaned Gadget.

"At this rate, a funeral _would_ probably cheer everyone up!" said Clarice.

"Well, mate, if this keeps up, those jokes will prob'ly kill this audience, if that lad's tongue doesn't do it first!"

"Does that mean that the best is yet to come?" asked Chip, smiling.

Clarice replied, "Sure, the best part will be 'good night, y'all'!" She smiled, and for a moment, the others were about to start chuckling, but then, they saw Dale's face.

Uneasily, they settled down and said nothing.

At that, Clarice sank back into her chair.

Dale became slightly confused at that event, and stated, "Hey, _that_ was funny."

The others looked at him with slight surprise.

"It was?" asked Zipper.

"Sure it was."

Chip then asked, "Then why aren't you _laughing_?"

Here, Dale suddenly became aware of something. He had heard a spontaneous joke that was actually amusing, and his only response to it was an analytical commentary. His train of thought was shaken as he tried to reply—

"Clarice, you've _got_ to help us!" interrupted the emcee.

She turned to him and replied, quite annoyed, "Help _you_? Hey, I didn't hire those guys! And where did you get that last one? From the pier? And aren't there anymore back there?"

"There were, but they saw what's been happening and they all ran out the back door! Can you save this night, please?"

"But darling, I'm a singer, not a comedian!"

The emcee sighed and calmed down. "Well, sorry, Clarice, and guys, I'm sorry that your first night here was such a flop. But if you are the Rescue Rangers, do you guys think you can rescue this night? Do any of you know any professional comedian we could call on at this time of the night?"

The Rangers and Clarice looked at Dale, and he looked back at them, with no expression on his face.

Chip sighed and replied, "Sorry sir, but we don't. It looks like you're going to have to throw in another act, or just call it a night—"

He looked at the stage, thought for a moment, and suggested, "Hey, there's a band here, perhaps you can change this from Comedy Night to Musical Night?"

_"Hey! Of course!"_ exclaimed Clarice. "Honey, warm up the band, and tell them that I'll be coming up in a little bit."

"Gotcha." The emcee then ran backstage.

Dale looked at the chipmunkmaid and asked, "You're goin' to sing, Clarice?"

She fluttered at him and replied, "No, darling, _we_ are going to sing."

"Huh?" asked Gadget.

Clarice asked, "Chip, do you still play piano?"

Gadget tried to interrupt, "Whoa, hold on there—"

"Well, it's been a while, but I'm sure I can remember."

"Dale, can you still play bass?"

"Bass?" asked Gadget.

Dale lowered his head and replied, "Clarice, I know what you're tryin' to do. But I can't go on stage. I told you, I don't do com—"

"You're _not_ going to tell jokes, you 'munk! You are going to play bass and sing with me!"

"Uh, Clarice, I'm a little rusty. And I _really_ don't think this is such a good idea—"

The chipmunkmaid then took his paws into hers and looked into his eyes, "Dale, I came all the way from Vegas to see an old friend celebrate and have a good time. _I_ am now trying to give you and your friends a good time. Won't you come up and sing with me, for old time's sake? It's been so long, and…and…I've really missed those times with you and Chip. Please, do me this favour."

From the way she was looking at him, Gadget thought that she was trying to seduce him or something, and she lowered her ears slightly.

Dale, however, was simply looking at her with sadness, and apparently deep in thought. There was something in her eyes…

"Okay, Clarice, I'll do this as a favour to you. But remember, I haven't played the bass in a long time."

"All right, wait a minute!" exclaimed Gadget. "Dale, since when do you play bass? You're not going to dance, are you? Hey, where are you going?"

The sciurids stood and left, except for Chip, "Gadget, it's a long story. We'll tell you later."

With that, the last chipmunk left, leaving behind two mice and a fly unbelievably confused.

On stage, a male shrew padded up on the drums, and a male squirrel took one trumpet.

A few moments later, the emcee padded in from stage left and announced, "Well, sorry, folks, for that facsimile of 'comedy'. But don't worry, we have a back-up plan. We have a very special surprise guest with us, who in turn has _two_ very special guests with her. So, males and females, won't you welcome with me, from Las Vegas, Nevada: CLARICE!"

The applause was much louder now, with whistle calls, as Clarice curved her way from stage right up to the microphone, while Chip and Dale entered and took their positions on their respective instruments behind her.

"Thanks, sugar, and thank you, you lovely mammals and such. I'm glad to be back here in the Big Apple, because I came to see two _very_ special friends of mine, and I'm sure some of you know them, in good terms, I hope. Would you welcome with me, on piano, from upstate New York: Chip Maplewood!"

The spotlight then shone on Chip, who was sitting at the rodent-sized grand piano on the left side of the stage. He nervously waved his left paw to the audience.

"And would you also welcome with me, on bass, also from upstate New York: Dale Oakmont!" She didn't dare pronounce his new middle name.

The light now shone on Dale, standing next to the piano, and holding a bass made from a pencil and a matchbox. The only expression on his face was a let's-get-this-over-with one, as he also waved to the audience.

Clarice continued, "So now, we're going to perform two songs for you that the three of us played a long time ago back in another nightclub, two songs that bring back a _lot_ of pleasant memories, not just of my friends, but also of our wonderful state of New York. Okay, guys, hit it!"

The lights dimmed and the audience hushed.

The other Rangers had no idea what to expect, so it was more than obvious that Gadget was shocked when she heard Chip begin playing a soft 50's jazz song.

As it had happened six years ago, Clarice began padding provocatively on the stage, and sang:

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=J5-9swcy688#t=3m40s )

_"My-y destinyyy—!_

_ Is to be in love wi-ith you,_

_ Doo-doo-doooo, doo-doo-doo!" _Gadget's temper rose at that line, as her ears and tail showed, but it sort of levelled off when she saw her looking at _Dale_, who for some reason did not respond.

_"Makes no difference what you say-y or do—_hello, Big Boy!" she cooed at Dale, on the side. Dale, however, just looked at her, straight-eared, stone-faced and stiff-tailed. Clarice stood shocked for an instant, lowering her ears a trifle. That was something that did _not_ happen six years ago. Almost instantly, she recovered and continued,

_"I must stay in love wi-ith you,_

_ Doo-doo-doooo-doooo, doo-doo!"_ She turned to Chip as she sang that, but he, too, did not respond. Something was wrong here. She would have to take more drastic measures:

_"That's my de-estiny—!"_ She sat on the piano, swinging her legs. Plenty of males in the audience were whistling at her, but it seemed that Chip and Dale were too concentrated on their instruments.

_"Is a thing you can't control,_

_ Doo-doo doooo-doooo, doo-doo-doo!"_ It seemed that the song was right. Well, she could fall in love with either of them, but they weren't responding. She got off the piano and leaned closer to Dale,

"_I belong to you both heart and soul,"_ _And all of me as well, honey,_ she thought, with her ears down and tail quivering.

_"With a love beyond control."_ Dale looked coldly at her once again. She seemed to be fighting against an ice wall. Quickly recovering again, she continued, a trifle slower,

_"They say—'nothing is sure!"_ She padded over behind the piano and pulled out a small rose from a vase.

_ "Even the sea runs dry'!"_ Padding back, she looked Dale over, but couldn't find any pockets on his shirt.

"Yes sir, hah!" She would have studied his physiology in general, but she had a song to sing.

_"They're wrong,_

_ One thing is sure,"_ She finally settled on placing the rose on Chip's jacket pocket, causing Gadget to squirm again.

_"Love like mine,"_ But again, he did not respond.

_"Can never die—"_ _It can't die_, she thought, to one chipmunk in particular. _You know that I'll always love you._

There was a moment's icy pause.

Chip, ears and tail stiff, was nearly growling at Dale because of his coldness.

And he was just about to jump off the piano stool and give him a very large knuckle sandwich—

Clarice suddenly looked at him, ears and tail down.

She was pleading with him, with _both_ of them. She knew they were both about to fight again, but this time it wouldn't be over _her_…

Chip exhaled to himself, deciding to calm down, for now. He then swept his paws on the piano as he did six years ago, while Clarice continued a trifle nervously, looking longingly into Chip's eyes,

_"That's how it is,_

_ And that's how it has to be,_

_ Doo-doo-doooo, doo-doo-doo!"_ Chip, once again was not returning her insinuations. _What was wrong with these 'munks, anyways?_

_"You are everything in life to me."_ _You are, you truly are!_

_"You are my destiny!"_ _And that's why I came back!_

The song speeded up now, and Chip ran his paws through the piano, in a lively instrumental.

Clarice raised her ears again and even swung her hips and tail at the beat of the song, smiling nervously. Again, the males did not respond.

_"That's how it is, how it is!_

_ And how it has to be!_

_ You are everything to me!_

_ You are my destiny!"_

With the song over, she gazed into Dale's eyes, only to be met by an icy reflection. Before she could say anything, Dale suddenly repeated his "spontaneous" solo he did six years ago.

Chip knew that was his cue, and he ran his paws quickly on the piano, repeating his aggressive sequence of six years ago.

Dale, eyes on his bass, continued with his solo once Chip stopped.

Chip replied with another complex sequence, and Dale countered with yet another. Chip, however, noticed that Dale was not exactly happy about playing with Clarice again. In fact, Dale's countenance remained stone-like, unmoving; his performance: mechanical. There was no feeling, no interpretation, no emotion, no soul, just a mechanical repetition. His eyes simply shifted back and forth from the piano to his own instrument.

Angered by yet another example of character assassination, Chip laid his ears back, stiffened his tail, and pounded another sequence, almost smashing his paws on the keys. Dale, unfazed, gave his mechanical response.

Another pounding of the piano, and another stone response.

Chip was about to give Dale a good bonk, and even start a fist-fight with him right there on the stage in front of an audience—

Clarice had to act quickly before she lost control of her act. Like she did six years before, she gave them a huge kiss on both of their cheeks, attempting to calm them down again, _and_ reminding them to start the next song.

Gadget, meanwhile, was not sure what to make of that. Seeing Clarice kiss the chipmunks _again_ brought more questionable feelings from within her. That, combined with what the males were singing, was almost enough to make her turn red. However, Chip's expression calmed her down even though it was obvious that he was not paying much attention to the lyrics and that he was _quite_ angered at Dale's performance, who sang and played excellently, but with no emotion whatsoever.

Chip snapped out of his silent fury, and Clarice sat on the piano again, but Dale still did not respond to the female's advances. He now turned to Dale, ignoring the chipmunkmaid, almost, pitched his voice lower, and sang with a scowl,

_"Little girl,_

_ You're the one girl for me,"_ And Dale countered, also with a low pitch, and also returning the stiff features and scowl,

_"Little girl,_

_ You're as sweet as can be,"_ Then they both sang together, scowling at each other,

_"Just a glance at you meant love from the start,_

_ And oh, what a thrill came into my heart."_ Clarice sang, smiling nervously because of the scowling around her,

_"Little boy,_

_ With your cute little ways—"_ She tickled Chip's chin for a bit, infuriating Gadget even more, but Chip _still_ didn't respond. He was _still_ angry. Clarice then turned to Dale,

_"I am yours_

_ For the rest of my days."_ She played with his headfur for a moment, but his cold stare remained in his eyes. At this point, however, Chip noticed that Dale's expression had shifted very slightly. He was still stone-faced, but he was looking, almost staring, at Clarice, who suddenly jumped off the piano and placed her arms around both of them as best as she could. Both felt cold, but more so Dale. All three sciurids then concluded,

_"And this great big world_

_ Will be divine, little girl,_

_ I'll be livin' in a whirl_

_ With the love you're givin',"_ Which, of course, was not the case right now. Both males had rejected love _twice_ now. Now came the big finish,

_"Little girl—little girl—little girl,_

_ When you're mine,_

_ All miiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!"_

And the song ended. The three were in a group hug, but neither attempted to kiss her now, adding to her shock and disappointment that she displayed through her tail and ears.

Chip, however, was ready to give Dale a good bonk, but for some reason, it just didn't seem to fully rise out of him now. Maybe it was his _own_ coldness…

The audience, meanwhile, stood on its foot-paws to give them a well-deserved round of applause.

The other Rangers stood and applauded moments later, more out of surprise than out of actual reward for the performance…


	17. DEKAPENTE — DEAD INSTINCTS

**DEKAPENTE — DEAD INSTINCTS**

They were kissing again, kissing and embracing _very_ passionately, with both tails in a blur again.

This was what she always wanted, and now she had her chance one more time, to let her nose fill itself with his musky scent, to feel his soft fur on her wing membranes, to have their muzzles together, to finally consummate their love for each other—

Something was different.

Something was nagging her, way back in her subconscious; one item that was keeping her from fully enjoying herself with her husband. But what? After all, they were together, and they would _always_ be together—

Her nose then caught something odd: Dale, for some reason, didn't smell so woody at this point. It seemed that her own scent had combined with his, somehow, creating a third scent that cancelled Dale's altogether.

This new scent reminded her of something, of some _one_, totally different. It was a trifle like her own scent, only it was deeper, stronger, more musky—

She broke off the kiss to stare into the deep and gorgeous ebony eyes of—

_ OTIS!_

Foxglove gasped into consciousness.

She, Feyyanna, Otis, and Richard and Rosie had finally arrived back in New York City.

They were roosting on a tall pine, with the couple hanging from a separate branch. The other three were hanging on a branch on the opposite side of the tree, keeping a respectful distance from each other, and with Feyyanna between the two.

Foxglove rubbed her face for a moment, trying to understand why her dreams had changed so suddenly. True, Otis was quite handsome, but she had already decided that she would not fall in love with him, or anyone else.

However, it appeared that her subconscious had decided otherwise; she _was_ love-starved, after all.

But perhaps, if she _tried_ a little harder and considered him her brother, then maybe those dreams would finally stop…

Richard and Rosie awakened, for she could hear them speaking. She did not echosound at them, out of politeness, but could still see and hear them fairly well.

"Slept well, Hazeleyes?"

"You know I always have sweet dreams when I'm next to you, Rose."

"Yeah? Well, just how sweet _are_ those dreams of yours, Ricky?"

"Not as sweet as the real thing I have in front of my ears, _Rosinna_."

Foxglove was overcome by a wave of jealousy when she heard that. That was something she would never have, ever. Love was apparently reserved for some sort of elite group, a select group that she was part of once, but because of love itself, she was painfully expelled from said group.

"Oo, you called me 'Rosinna'. Are you sure that this is the right time and place for these things?"

Tails swished at this point.

"Well, I know it's not Fall, but with you around, who needs the seasons?"

"Oh, I love it when you talk out of instinct!"

"Well, you _know_ I don't need instincts for this."

"_I'll_ show you instincts, you bat!"

More jealousy, anger, sadness, and frustration came over Foxglove as she continued hearing them, bringing sweet yet painful memories back again.

_Oh, how she loved Dale, how she loved the way he embraced her, the way he kissed her, the way he spoke, the way his whole body sounded, the way he tenderly held her wing with his paw, the way he laughed, the way he joked around, the way he helped fight crime—_

Her emotions were abruptly truncated, however, when she heard Rosie, eyes and ears locked with her husband's, take his right wing in both of hers, craftily extend his thumbclaw…

_ And kiss it._

Another memory flashed into Foxglove's mind, one of two years ago, of her criminal days, one of shortly after she fell in love with a certain rodent whom her boss wanted to destroy…

She heard herself pleading with Winifred, begging her to let her retrieve the moon rock from the Rescue Rangers, so the witch wouldn't hurt Dale—or the others—

_ "I'll get it for you, Winifred! Just don't hurt him—uh—them!"_

_ "All right sweetie," she replied, while stroking Foxglove's chin, "you go get it for me."_

_ "I won't fail you!"_

_ And then she kissed the witch's thumb._

She never understood why she did that. She always thought it was a subliminal suggestion on Winifred's part, perhaps a salute that was custom-made for their particular organisation.

Since she associated that particular gesture with her evil days, Foxglove decided to ignore that impulse whenever she was around Dale. That had worked quite well, and sometime during their first winter together, that impulse disappeared altogether, "freeing" her from the last link she thought she had with the witch and her criminal past, enabling her to further concentrate on Dale.

But now, she suddenly saw that kissing someone's thumb had _nothing_ to do with who your employer was.

It _was_ a chiropterid instinct.

A gesture of _submission_.

Could things have turned out differently if she had done that with Dale?

Would he _still_ have let her go?

Would she still be with him if she had not suppressed—_killed_—her instincts?

The other pipistrells awakened; their yawns breaking the married couple out of their romantic moment.

Richard and Rosie flew toward the young ones, and Otis asked, "You sure you don't need to sleep any longer?"

"Well, no," replied Richard. "But I thought _you_ needed to. After all, _we_ weren't the ones huffing and puffing on the last mile!"

"Hey, it's not _my_ fault Foxglove flies so fast!"

Foxglove thought she would blush at that, but for some reason, she didn't.

"Jeepers, cossin, Ah thought yew wood hayav alreddy gott'n yewsed tew thayat!"

"Well, maybe I haven't _eaten_ that much lately!"

"Say, guys, why don't we get something to eat, then?" asked Rosie.

"But wait," said Foxglove, "Shouldn't we be getting to the RAS now?"

Richard replied, "Oh, don't worry about them, Foxy, they operate twenty-four hours a day. Their sessions usually go on all night, and in shifts. When a _real_ emergency comes up, they pull out all the stops and hardly anyone goes back to sleep until the problem is solved, or so I've heard. We'll get there soon enough."

"All right. Come on, guys, let's go feed."

"Wait, Foxy," said Otis. "We _are_ all kinda tired, and I _was_ kinda hoping to rest somewhere else. In a place where maybe we could get some drinks and insects that are actually cooked?"

"Yew meen a resst'rannt?" asked Feyyanna.

"Hey!" exclaimed Rosie, "Rick, do you remember that place we went to before Aurora was born?"

The pipistrell echosounded at his wife and asked, "Do you think it's still open, honey? They had great grasshoppers, but it's been nearly two decades."

"Well, we _could_ at least go check. And if it's not there, well, there _are_ other places in Broadway."

"What would I do without you—" he cooed.

Taking a moment to themselves, the pipistrell couple embraced and simply looked at each other's eyes and locked their sonar on each other.

Suddenly hearing a shift in the breathing pattern of a certain batmaid, however, caused them to suddenly break.

"Oh, sorry about that, Foxy," said Richard, a trifle sheepishly. "We got carried away for a moment. We didn't mean to—"

"Uh, it's okay, Richard. I…I…don't mind that at all." She quickly tried to change the subject, "Now, what's the name of this restaurant you mentioned?"

"Well, I hope it's still called The…"


	18. DEKAHEX — I'LL BE WATCHING YOU

**DEKAHEX — I'LL BE WATCHING YOU**

The tamii rejoined the other Rangers at the table.

"Well, what did you think, guys?" asked Clarice.

Gadget, still shocked and with low ears, tried to answer, "Dale…Chip…you…you…you were—"

"That was great!" buzzed Zipper.

"Too roight! You blokes jus' stole the whole show, 'ere!"

"Hey, what can I say, those songs were a hit back at the Acorn Club!" said Chip.

"Yes, they were excellent pieces."

Dale's near-robotic tone popped everyone's bubble again. They all looked at the red-nosed chipmunk for a moment, incredulous of his emotional immobility.

"Dale, are you all right?" asked Chip.

"Never better, why?" he replied mechanically.

"Don't tell me you're feeling fine, stupid! I know that something's wrong with you, and _has_ been wrong with you ever since you came—"

"Chip!" Clarice interrupted his temper, for Dale's sake. "Still the same old hothead, I see?" she mocked, lowering her ears and stiffening her tail. "Please, just back off, will you?"

Chip, stunned at Clarice's statements, was suddenly speechless. But then he noticed a certain look on her face, one that she did long ago, one that he suddenly remembered as meaning, _"I'll handle this."_

Both then relaxed their tails, but Clarice kept her ears down.

She turned to Dale and said, "You know, Dale, the night's still young, and we _are_ in need for more entertainment—"

"Clarice, I told you, I _cannot_ and I _will not_ go up there and tell jok—"

"I'm not asking you to tell jokes! Perhaps we could do another number?"

Dale thought for a while, and replied with sad ears and tail, "I…I don't think so."

"Oh, please, Dale! You know that you loved being up there and being the life of the party—!"

He looked at the table, "That…that was the old Dale—"

"Old, schmold!" she scolded. "Dale, could please go up there and do another number, just for me?"

"You mean by myself? Clarice, you…you're askin' too much. I just simply _can't_ do that anymore. I'm a little rust—"

She put her paw on his paw and said, "Dale, you just played bass better than any other animal I've heard. Don't tell me you're rusty, because you're _not_. But, please, as a Rescue Ranger, rescue this night. Do a number for the night, for me, please." Her tail quivered a trifle.

Dale looked into her blue eyes and replied, "You mean you just want me to go up there and play a song straight off the top of my head? Clarice, I'm…I'm not random anymore—"

Clarice lowered her tail.

She felt as if he had just told him that her best friend was dead.

Not random? But randomness was an integral part of his personality! What on earth had come over this chipmunk? Did it have to do with Hastahah—?

Dale, however, was giving in, for some reason. Something about Clarice's eyes was getting to him, finally; it was something he wanted, something he _had_ once but was gone now, something he _needed_—

"Um, all right," he said, raising his ears, but still with cryogenic speech, "But I'm only doin' this as a favour to you."

With that, he went up on stage again. He then grabbed the bass and went to speak with the band members for a moment.

The mouse then looked backstage and called someone, and moments later, a ground-squirrelmaid took her place at a rodent-sized electronic keyboard.

Clarice, meanwhile, had motioned the emcee to come to her table, and she whispered briefly with him. With a nod, the emcee padded up to the stage, where Dale looked at him, and also gave him a nod.

He was ready.

The audience hushed as the emcee made the introduction, "Ladies and gentlemen, for another musical number, here's Dale Oakmont!"

Padding up to microphone again, Dale waited for the polite applause to die, and explained, "Okay, this is a totally improvised number, because this is the only song I know in which the lead vocalist is also the bass player. I'm doin' this song as a request for the lovely Clarice over here, so I hope you enjoy it. Please bear with me; this song is completely off the top of my head. Uh…well, I heard it once a long time ago, and for some reason it popped up in my head recently and I haven't been able to get it outta there…so I guess this will help kill it once and for all."

Chip did not like the tone of the word "kill", as his ears and tail showed.

With a shrug, Dale turned around and went to talk to the band again. One minute later, he padded up to the microphone, and began…

"Are you sure they serve good grasshoppers here?" asked Foxglove, turning to the others before opening the door.

"Positive," replied Rosie. "And I hope they still have good music, too! Hey, the band is starting to play. Let's hurry!"

Foxglove was the first to enter The Nutshell Club, just as the lights shut off.

It wasn't any problem for her, since she was a bat.

The problem began when the spotlight lit a certain bass player on the stage.

She saw the performer.

She echosounded at the performer.

_Pierre?_ she thought. _He's still in town? And he plays bass here?_

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=cEnJDaqT3-0 )

The song began.

Chip's heart stopped when he suddenly identified the song Dale was playing.

There was _no way_ that song could have just come off the top of Dale's head.

The other verspetilionids entered and met a Foxglove who stood frozen when she realised who she was looking, and echosounding at.

It was _Dale_, all right, and yet, it was _not_ Dale. His echo was different, a trifle louder and clearer, more defined, indicating that he was more solid than when she last heard him. His shirt was also smaller, tighter, and not as loose as the one she had heard before.

But it was his face—his _face_—which was different, yet the same. She couldn't pinpoint what it was, and it was doubtful she would, because she was too far away from him.

Dale, meanwhile, could not see who was near the entrance because of all the spotlights shining on him, nor could he smell her because the air conditioning was coming _from_ the stage, thus his scent was also torturing the batmaid.

With the introductory instrumental finished, Dale began:

_"Every breath you take,"_ His voice was low, coarse, _pained_…

_"And every move you make,"_ Chip, with stiff features, was frozen as well when he realised that his best friend would now be very literally pouring out his heart with this song.

_"Every bond you break,"_ Foxglove winced at that, and drooped her ears and tail.

_"Every step you take,_

_ I'll be watchin' you."_

Chip wanted to strangle whoever was working the lights at this moment, because they were being turned on and off around Dale, casting macabre shadows across his face in various angles, and almost making it seem like the whole place had turned black-and-white.

Dale, meanwhile, plucked on the bass mechanically for a moment, and continued,

_"Every single day,"_ Upon seeing Chip's reactions, Monterey, Zipper, Gadget, and Clarice were shocked as well, as their features showed. They would have been even more shocked if they had bothered to turn around and see who else was frozen in place.

_"And every word you say,"_ Her voice, how he loved her voice…

_"Every game you play,"_ She loved his games as well…

_"Every night you stay,"_ The nights, how they _loved_ the nights…

_"I'll be watchin' you."_ When he said that last line, Dale looked straight ahead, straight into Foxglove's eyes. He couldn't see her, but it seemed to her that he was staring into the deepest part of her soul. He chorused:

_"Oh, can't you see—"_ Yes, she could see _and_ hear him quite perfectly.

_"You belong to me?"_ Yes, she belonged to him, and she always would. Though he had released her, she would always be his.

_"How my poor heart aches"_ Yes, he was in pain. Chip knew that. Foxglove knew that. Clarice knew that. The other Rangers knew that.

_ "With every step you take!"_ Dale, on the other paw, was not feeling a single thing as he sang that. He was just another CD player.

_"Every move you make,"_ Wherever she went.

_"And every vow you break,"_ **_OUCH!_**

_"Every smile you fake,"_ No, she had not smiled, not since the night she left. But if she did, she _knew_ it would be fake.

_"Every claim you stake,_

_ I'll be watchin' you."_

Chip felt as if he was going to scream. He hoped against hope that Dale would not sing what he knew was coming next, that Dale would condense the song and skip the next segment, that he would improvise and switch to the techno version of this song—

_Don't sing the bridge, don't sing the bridge, SKIP THE BRIDGE, PLEASE, **SKIP** THE BRIDGE, ###### IT!_

A beautiful electric guitar chord introduced the bridge.

**_NOOOOOOOOOO!_**

Dale stiffened his ears and tail, and his countenance turned into that of pained anger as he sang into his friends' souls:

_"Since you've gone—I've been lost—without a trace!"_ The Comedian was lost. Lost forever.

_"I dream at night, I can only—see your face!"_ He, too, had dreams about her, but he would not admit that to anyone. Not now, anyways.

_"I look around, but it's you I can't replace!"_ Clarice winced at that. She _knew_ he still had feelings for Foxglove, and now, even though he was technically fair game, he seemed so far away, so distant, so out of her reach—

_"I feel so cold and I long for your—embrace!"_ Foxglove wanted to jump on stage and wrap her warm wings around him again, so he wouldn't feel cold anymore. She would explode if she didn't. But she did not move. She could not move, not a single muscle—

_"I keep cryin': 'baby, baby, pleeeeease—'_!" A tear then formed in Gadget's eye. _Oh, Dale, you still love her, you are still crying out to her…_

Dale raised his ears and relaxed his tail, and turned his attention back to his bass as he played another instrumental, while the other performers sang soft "oo's" in beat to the music. All that was going through Dale's mind was the sequence of notes that he had to pull from his instrument: the melody, the rhythm, the lyrics, the key, and nothing else.

He was truly a furred CD player.

Foxglove, meanwhile, began trembling. She _knew_ he played the bass, but this was the first time she actually heard him perform in front of an audience. It was also the first time she had seen him pour his heart out in this manner. She knew he wanted her back, and she _wanted_ to come back to him, but now, they both knew why it could never happen. They could never get back together…

_…because they loved each other._

_"Oh, can't you see_

_ You belong to me?_

_ How my poor heart aches_

_ With every step you take!"_

It seemed that _all_ of the Rangers had black holes in their hearts now. They were feeling his pain, the pain that he could not express but that was deep within him, and which was now surfacing with this song.

The other chiropterids, meanwhile, did not know what to make of that. Otis took a while to recognise Dale, and even longer to hear Foxglove's reactions to the performance, and then he, too, stood frozen. This was something which was _definitely_ out of his wings.

Dale then repeated the second verse,

_ "Every move you make," Every move you make, Cute Stuff…_

_ "And every vow you break," Every v-v—_

_ "Every smile you fake," If you ever fake a smile…_

_ "Every claim you stake," All the cases you solve…_

_ "I'll be watchin' you." Dale, I'll be watching you…_

Dale looked into her eyes one more time:

_ "Every move you make,_

_ Every step you take,_

_ I'll be watchin' you." Dale, I'll always be watching you, in my dreams, I will always watch you…_

The other performers then softly chorused as Dale concluded,

_ "I'll be watchin' you—"_

_ "Every breath you take,_

_ Every move you make,_

_ Every bond you break—"_

And together:

_ "Every step you take."_

_ "I'll be watching you." Dale—_

_ "Every single day,_

_ Every word you say,_

_ Every game you play,_

_ Every night you stay—"_

_ "I'll be watching you." Dale…my Dale…I'll always love you…now and forever—_

_"Every move you make,_

_ Every vow you break,_

_ Every smile you fake,_

_ Every claim you stake—"_

_ "I'll be watching you."_ Her brain then ordered her eyes to cry. But she couldn't. Her lachrymal glands had been shut off ever since that horrible night…

_"Every single day,_

_ Every word you say—"_

_ "Oo—"_ Though it was momentary, that high-pitched moan sent shivers through everyone's spines, not because it was off-key (it was done quite excellently), but because it was the closest Dale would come to actually crying. Foxglove shivered most of all, because it sounded oh so beautiful, and suddenly it was gone, gone forever, and imprinted forever in her brain to torture her soul forever…

_"Every game you play,_

_ Every night you stay—"_

_ "I'll be watching you."_ Her heart was collapsing in her chest: the pain, the pain, the pain…

_"Every breath you take,_

_ Every move you make,_

_ Every bond you break,_

_ Every step you take—"_

_ "I'll be watching you."_ Feyyanna padded up to Foxglove and put a sympathetic wing around her shoulders, making her wince. _I'll…I'll be watch…watching—_

_ "Every single day,_

_ Every word you say,_

_ Every game you play,_

_ Every night you stay—"_

_ "I'll be watching you." D-Dale—_

_ "Every move you make,_

_ Every vow you break,_

_ Every smile you fake,_

_ Every claim you stake—"_

_ "I'll be watching you." …C-Cute Stuff—_

_ "Every single day,_

_ Every word you say,_

_ Every game you play,_

_ Every night you stay—"_

_ "I'll be watching you." …watching y—_

_ "Every breath you take,_

_ Every move you make—"_

_ "Oo—"_

She couldn't take any more.

She whirled and bolted out the door, nearly knocking over the other bats in the process. They immediately straightened up and flew right after her, while at the same time, the performer ended his song and the entire audience stood and cheered, except for two chipmunks, two mice, and a fly…


	19. DEKAHEPTA — A SECOND CHANCE

**DEKAHEPTA — A SECOND CHANCE**

Dale took his seat with the others again.

They just looked at him, with low ears and tails, and with their hearts in their throats, speechless, immobile, and oblivious to the cheering and clapping around them.

Dale took a sip of his apple juice and sighed in exhaustion as he sat back in his chair.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and then looked at the others.

He finally noticed the look on their faces, and their low ears.

"What?"

Clarice stuttered, "Uh, Dale, that was…that was…uh, great!"

Dale looked at her for a moment, and then he turned to the others, sensing something was amiss. "Is somethin' wrong, guys?"

Monterey was the first to raise his ears and break out of the spell. "Well…no…nothin' Dale! You jus' kinda caught us off guard with that song. We didn't know you could sing solo _that_ well!"

"Thanks Monty, but again, it just came off the top of my head. I hope I didn't mess up any part of—"

"No," said Chip, incredulously. "You…you _didn't_ mess up. You played excellently. Uh, Dale, um, _why_ exactly did you choose that song?"

Dale looked at his friend again and repeated, "Chip, I told you, that song came right off the top of my head. Since I hadn't actually heard it in quite a while, I was afraid I would mess up with the lyrics or melody. But, it seems that everyone liked it…except _you_ guys."

The Rangers finally snapped out of their spell.

"Oh…no…D-Dale, it was great!" exclaimed Gadget.

Zipper buzzed his agreement as well.

All ears and tails relaxed once more.

"Well, guys, I'm glad you liked it, then. And, since this night has been most thoroughly rescued, I believe our job here is finished. Clarice, thanks for the lovely evenin'." He shook her paw. "And again, I'm sorry you came all the way here for nothin'. Good night. All right, guys, let's go."

His emotionless words seemed to hypnotise them somehow, and so they all stood to leave.

"Yes. G-good night, Clarice…and thanks for visiting…" said a stunned Chip.

The rest also bid her farewell, and they all headed for the door.

Clarice lowered her ears as she saw her friends about to disappear from her life one more time—

No.

She would _not_ allow that to happen again.

She immediately stood and ran up to them, "Uh, Dale, could you stay here for a minute? I need to talk to you."

The Rangers turned and looked at the celebrity rodent.

She looked back at them and added, "It's all right, guys, he'll be right with you. This won't take long."

With the spell diminished, Chip said, "Uh, okay, Clarice. Good night." He then kissed her goodnight.

Following his example, Monterey and Zipper did the same.

"It was nice meetin' you, Miss Clarice."

"Same here," buzzed Zipper.

Gadget hesitated.

Finally, she decided to stop being so jealous and shook Clarice's paw. "Good night."

With that, the Rangers left the nightclub.

Dale and Clarice padded back to their table and sat down again.

For a while, they just looked at each other; Dale looked at her with emotionless eyes, while she looked at him with a yearning.

Finally, she spoke, "Dale, I'm sorry about what happened to your wedding, and your fiancée."

"Don't be, Clarice. It wasn't your fault."

For a moment, Clarice felt like shaking some feelings into this 'munk, as his robotic tone was driving her nuts.

But then, he continued with a sigh, "Clarice, I've always wondered about somethin'."

"What?"

"Well, back at the Acorn Club, why did you send a card to _both_ of us?"

She also sighed, as pain then came on _her_ face now, "Dale, I…I just wanted to see you two fight over me…you two…were the only ones that ever did—"

"What?" he asked, quite in shock.

She stuttered, "You…you two were the only ones that cared for me so much that you were willing to fight each other for me."

The male almost had a stunned look creep onto his face. "We…we were?"

She explained, "When I was ten, my father left home, and he never came back. My mother blamed me for that, for some reason. I was in…a bad situation at home. I sought refuge in the spotlight, and when we met…well…you were the only ones who actually _loved_ me."

Dale thought he felt compassion for this soul now, so he replied, "Clarice, I'm sorry to hear that. But that's in the past now. And didn't you say that you now have every single male droolin' for you?"

She shook her head, drooped her ears and tail, and looked down as memories rushed through her head, "When…when my career took off and I left New York, I…I saw the male reaction. They _wanted_ me, sure, but they didn't _love_ me. And…and all this time, I've had memories of _you two_…but even _more_ memories of…of _you_, Dale."

He appeared surprised at that piece of information.

_ No…way._

Then he frowned, stiffened his ears and tail, and scolded, "No! Idon'tbelievethat! Notonebit! I saw the way you kissed Chip and the way you were lookin' at him just now so don't go tellin' me otherwise—!"

She held her paws up, trying to calm him down. "No, Dale, no—" As more memories surfaced, she took hold of his paws, "You see, Dale, when…when I read in the papers that you were about to get married…my heart broke. I came here thinking that you were still taken…that Foxglove was still _with_ you." Pain was added to her words as it accumulated in her throat, "That's why I _hugged_ you and _kissed_ Chip…when I kissed Chip…I was pretending he was _you_—"

Her tail quivered slightly aga—

No.

No female had ever come back for him other than Foxglove, and it was _certainly not_ going to happen again, not after all he had just gone through:

"Don'tgivemethat!" he chattered, ignoring the tears she produced at this point. "I_know_thewholetruthnow! It_all_becamecleartomerecently! Chipwas_always_thebetterlookin'one—!"

"Dale—!"

The pain in her words was sufficient to stop him cold.

"It…it was my time away when I realised that I wanted _you_…that I had _true_ feelings for _you_ and _you only_! Look, I _know_ you've been through Hell, and so I _don't_ want to get you on the rebound, but…but please, don't be afraid to love again!"

Dale calmed down at that.

Could it be true?

Could _another_ female have come back _just for him_, again?

He looked down for a moment, also drooping his ears and tail, almost as if he were ashamed of himself, and he softly said, "Clarice…I'm…I'm not the same chipmunk you knew. I've changed…a lot…especially after everythin' that happened. I'm a Rescue Ranger now, and after Foxglove was kidnapped, I…I had to kill the Comedian…_that's_ why I couldn't go up on stage. Please, Clarice, it…it's not worth it. _That's_ why I let go of Foxy…_that's_…why I won't seek another…again…"

One more time, Dale pulverised another heart.

And what was worse, he _knew_ he had done it.

_ Again._

Clarice's eyes flashed in pain and anger as her very soul was dashed to pieces.

_Again_.

Ears and tail sagged, and tears poured from the sudden burst.

Knowing what he had done, he continued, "Uh. See? I've hurt you now! That's _all_ I've ever done to _everyone_! I've…I've been hurtin' others for so long…it has _always_ been my fault…Clarice, I'm…I'm so sorry…I didn't want to hurt you…or Foxglove…or _anyone_…_everyone's_ better off if they didn't love me. The pain isn't worth it, Clarice, so please do yourself a favour:"

He looked into her eyes, and pleaded with every fibre of his being, "_Please_ don't love me. I'm not worth it. I'll only hurt you if you do. And what's worse, you could get _killed_. Foxglove…and Dale…were killed because of me."

Confusion seemed to slap Clarice's face at this point, as she could not comprehend what he had just declared.

Fuming and trembling, she replied, "It's your choice, then! But…but in the meantime, here's something that _could_ be yours, if you only _tried_."

She looked deeply into his pained eyes, gently held his head in her paws, drew him closer…

_…and kissed him._

For one brief and shining moment, Dale felt something, something that was lost and was now found again, yet incomplete. His tail and ears twitched, but only momentarily. The feeling was there, but it was different, different paws, different scent, different fur…

_ …and then he stopped feeling anything._

She, however, was completely lost in it; her ears perked up and her tail was in a blur, as she could only remember all the times they had back at the Acorn Club. Her mind also explored what _could_ be, what _could_ happen, what _could_—

She broke off when she suddenly realised he was not reacting in _any_ way. His heartbeat did not even speed up. He was just looking at her, as if she were some distant memory.

This was now the first time a male did _not_ react to her advances of _this_ kind.

He was too far-gone in his own pain, too far away from her; he was beyond her reach, and would always be—

"So, you're a Rescue Ranger now, Hastahah?" she asked, quite angered, her ears and tail stiffening again. "Then I'll do something for the Rescue Rangers, then!"

She leaned over and whispered in his ear…


	20. DEKAOKTO — ANOTHER SECOND CHANCE

**DEKAOKTO — ANOTHER SECOND CHANCE**

Fly, fly, fly, fly away, away from the chipmunk who loved you, from the song that was poured from his soul and that was now tormenting yours, away from that nightclub, away from this city, from this life—

_"FOXGLOVE!"_

Away from the one who took his place in your dreams, away from pain, from love, from everything and everyone—

This time, however, Otis was angry enough to actually catch up with her. He flew above her and grabbed her shoulders with his foot-paws, destabilising her instantly, and both fluttered down to a rooftop, landing rather hard and tumbling in the process.

As Otis angrily regained his footing, he looked at the batmaid with stiff ears and tail and scolded, "Just…just _what_ the hell do you think you're doing?"

Foxglove stood, echosounded at him, and tried to reply, "Otis…Otis I'm s—"

As she said that, however, she padded up to him, wrapped her wings around him…

_…and kissed him,_ without any hint of rational thought.

Otis, naturally, was completely shocked. Even though it was something that he actually _wanted_ to do, way in the back of his head, that was certainly _not_ the way he had it planned.

Foxglove, meanwhile, had her mind and tail racing the 100-metre dash, and her ears were laid back a trifle. She tried to grasp the memories that were cascading down her mind, trying to grab something that would make the pain go away, that would perhaps make her sleep better at day, and then she caught the memory of Dale kissing her…no…no…it was slipping away…something was pulling that memory from her mind and tearing it to shreds…something did not add up…the scent was not the same, the fur was not the same, the wings were not the same—

Wings?

"Dale—"

Her rational thought was yanked back on-line as she realised what she was doing.

She opened her eyes, and when she saw and heard Otis' face, she immediately broke and staggered away, with limp tail and ears again.

Otis echosounded at her, and his anger faded when he heard her facial expression, and he relaxed his features.

"No…no, Foxy, I'm _not_ Dale. I'll never be Dale. There's no way I can replace him—"

"Otis…Otis…I'm…I'm sorry—!" she stuttered, covering her muzzle with her wings, trying to anchor her confused mind to any kind of rational thought. "I…I didn't mean…to do that…! I…I…!"

She covered her entire head with her wings, and turned away from him. His voice was soft, _too_ soft, almost as if she was actually beginning to _like_ that voice, beginning to like _him_—

He, however, was taking more pity on her now. "Foxy, please, you can't solve this problem by running away! I _know_ this is tough for you, but _that's_ why you need to roost with the bats again! If you run away, you will eventually kill yourself!"

She stiffened her features, turned, and echosounded at him from under her wings, with fury and pain.

_"I'm—al-ready—dead,"_ she chattered.

Stunned for a moment, he then laid his ears down a trifle, and held out a friendly wing, "Foxy, _please_ don't say that. I…_we_ can help you start a new life, _that's_ the reason why we're here! I know you'll always have Dale in your heart, but that's no reason why you can't pick yourself up and try again!"

Her wings and ears quivered at that statement.

Echosounding at the cement, she whimpered, "Otis…I…I _don't_…want to fall in love _again_—"

For a moment, Otis thought that his heart broke, by the way his ears and tail sagged, but his feelings were not important right now. The current priority was Foxglove's problem, which was easily solved, or so he thought.

"You…you don't _have_ to."

She sighed in pain, "No. Otis…you're not exactly making it _easy_ for me. I don't…I don't want to fall in love…with you."

Here, Otis knew that he could not exactly hug her in order to console her, for she had made her choice. Still, he said, "I'm…I'm sorry, Foxy, I never intended to make any moves on you—"

"No…no, the problem is that you're _here_, you know, and…and Dale _isn't_—" She trembled for a moment, features sagging again. "This would be a whole lot easier for me if you were truly my brother."

It was here when he finally understood.

"You need Dale, yes. Dale and the Rangers were the only family you had, Foxy. I know you need a family now, and I really _do_ want to help you, but with Dale gone, then perhaps you don't need a husband—or a boyfriend—right now."

Foxglove echosounded at him, a trifle confused.

"Since your parents are gone, then perhaps you should start a family with…a _brother_, maybe?"

Her ears perked up a trifle.

"B-brother?"

"Foxy, I don't want to see you in pain anymore. If it will help you, I will take you in as my little sister, and I _will_ be your brother. I _would_ take you in as a daughter, but I don't think I'm old enough for it; maybe Richard and Rosie can help you with that. But for now, would you consider being my sister?"

At that point, it seemed as if one third of the pain disappeared from Foxglove's chest.

If she could not have a husband, then perhaps another type of family _was_ what she needed.

And…and…she actually felt _better_…

She then rushed up to him and hugged him tightly, pleading, "H-help me…b…_brother_…please…I need…_help_…"

Otis wrapped his wings around this tormented soul and whispered, "I will, _sister_, thanks for letting me help you."

"Wanna bey mah sesster tewe?"

Both verspetilionids echosounded up and heard Feyyanna, Richard, and Rosie standing on the edge of the rooftop.

Breathing a trifle easier, Foxglove replied, "Well, um, sure! Why not?" but still without any smile, though her ears and tail were back to normal.

"And when can we get to the parent thing?" asked Rosie.

"Uh, let's take this one step at a time, please," she replied, emotionally exhausted.

* * *

Foxglove closed the door and took her seat at her assigned booth; later it would be reconditioned so she would be able to hang from the ceiling.

She placed the earphone next to her left ear and lowered the volume on the knob in the panel in front of her.

She saw through the glass in front of her the Rescue Aid Society Assembly Hall, where small mammals from all over the world came together to try to solve problems for both animals and humans.

The audience consisted of small mammals from almost all species, but they were mainly rodents.

She saw a large flying fox, a male, but remembered her decision.

Her "brother" and the others had taken her here to the UN, and Richard introduced her to a vole named Kyle, the chief interpreter. A brief interview landed her this job, a job that could help others and that was of absolutely no risk to her at all.

Kyle had noticed that this young batmaid could learn languages rather quickly, and the UN was the best place around here where one could do so, and he hired her right away.

Thusly, here she would continue to develop her talents as an interpreter (which was very rare among chiropterids, as she found out), and be of help to others.

Otis was relieved that she agreed to take the job, because here she would be able to socialise not only with bats, but with many other species as well.

However, she asked him if they could roost in New Jersey and not New York. It seemed that some chiropterids and other animals appeared to recognise her from her night with Fat Cat and she really did not want to give any explanations about why she was not with Dale anymore.

He was a trifle disappointed, but he knew that it would be a necessary arrangement for now.

She needed time to recover and be social again. It would be gradual, naturally, she would make a friend here and there, and just basically have a normal life. She was in a situation similar to when she was with the Rangers: she would help others who were in need, but without all the danger…

_…or Dale._

Dale.

She could not stop thinking about Dale, or that song. Not now, at least. And she could not stop dreaming, either. With Otis' "adoption", Dale was once again visiting her during the day. She needed to put her mind on other things, things that would help others, that would solve problems, and maybe _her_ problem would be solved in the process.

Solved?

Rosie suggested that perhaps after everything had settled, that she and Dale meet again to _at least_ try to speak to each other, to try to have them be friends again and somehow continue to stay in touch with him and the Rangers—

_No._

_She_ was the one who left, and _she_ must be the one to come back to him.

And she would _never_ go back to him, ever, _nor_ would she court anyone again.

Have plenty of friends? Maybe. But now, she had a brother and a sister to establish ties with, and then perhaps a mother and father.

But not a husband.

Not a fiancé.

Not a boyfriend.

Not _now_, not _ever_.

And now, she would begin to focus her mind on other things.

On the main platform, she saw an exotic mammal, with "scales", pad up to the podium. He adjusted his microphone, and she did the same.

The pangolin began speaking in Laotian, and she translated to English, "My friends, we are in urgent need of help in…"

As she leaned forward, she couldn't help but notice that her shoulders were a trifle sore. Maybe it was because Otis had grabbed her too hard that other night. But in the back of her mind, she knew that the soreness—the _pain_—had begun creeping in just after that tragic night, and it was fading in and out of _all_ her joints, not just her shoulders.

She ignored it, at first, but every time the pain came back, it was just a trifle stronger…


	21. DEKAENNEA — A BROKEN SPIRIT DRIETH THE B

**DEKAENNEA — A BROKEN SPIRIT DRIETH THE BONES**

Rat Capone, a short and fat and well dressed rat, stood next to his thugs: Arnold Mousenegger, a _very_ large and well built mouse, who was holding a large bag; and Sugar Ray Lizard, a thin reptile who could punch very fast and very hard.

One metre in front of them stood four mean-looking hamsters, one of which had a bag as well.

The two gangs were standing in a badly lit parking lot, well away from any lights that would reveal their presence.

Both groups knew who each other was, since they could smell each other's stench rather well, and that caused them to stiffen their features.

They padded closer, closing the gap between them.

"You've got da stuff, yes?" asked Capone, with his gangster accent.

"It's all here," replied one hamster. "Ready for distribution. I trust our payment is in full?"

"No, it's in this sack," replied the not-too-bright mega-mus.

"Just switch bags, will ya, Al?" asked the lizard, slightly annoyed.

With a nod, Arnold and the hamster were about to exchange bags when suddenly a piercing shout rang out:

_"DROP IT! YOU'RE SURROUNDED!"_

"######!" growled Capone. "We've been—!"

His expletive was cut off when he suddenly saw Sugar Ray go down, with a plunger dart in his face.

_"RESCUE RANGERS AWAY!"_ cried the good guys.

"The 'Refuse Strangers'? How did they find us?" asked the rat, whirling around in a futile effort to find them.

Arnold was about to answer him, but he suddenly found Dale standing in front of him.

With lightning speed, the sciurid clasped both of his paws together and swung them as hard as he could on the murid's jaw. A resounding crack rang through the parking lot, and Arnold fell on the pavement, hard.

Before the other hamsters could scatter, Monterey grabbed two of them by their heads and smashed them together, knocking them out.

Another carefully aimed plunger dart knocked out the third hamster.

"The last one's yours, Zipper!" cried Gadget, seeing the fourth hamster running to the street.

"Aye aye!" Zipper then grabbed the drug bag that one trafficker dropped, flew up into the air, and with expert aim, dropped it on the last hamster.

Chip, meanwhile, had planned on taking Capone himself, but the rat was busy speaking with Dale about the way he knocked out Arnold so quickly.

"Hey, see, where'dya learn to punch like that?"

Another crack rang out, and the gangster was the last to fall.

"I read it somewhere," replied Dale, coldly, while shaking his right fist.

For a moment, Chip almost felt cheated out of all the "fun". He had expected Dale to take longer with Arnold, but his awesome speed left him empty-pawed.

Still, he couldn't help but feel proud of his team. They had carried out their plan to the letter, and had done it so quickly that the enemy practically had no reaction time at all:

_Blitzkrieg._

"Great work, guys!" he exclaimed, perking up his ears and moving his tail a trifle, as Monterey brought the fourth hamster back.

As they assembled the fallen crooks, and the animal police emerged and gathered them up, Chip saw that Dale was _still_ shaking his fists in pain. In fact, Dale actually winced when he moved one paw to his shoulder.

"Dale, are you all right?" he asked.

"I think so. But I might have hit Arnold too hard; even my shoulders are startin' to hurt."

Gadget padded up to him, "Are you sure, Dale? Perhaps the angle in which you swung that punch was not correctly aligned with your centre of gravity—"

"Maybe, but…but…why is my _elbow_ hurtin' now?"

As he wondered that, the others gradually began noticing something else.

Pain was slowly emerging in _their_ joints as well.

"That's odd," said Chip, rubbing his left wrist. "_I_ didn't hit anyone and _I'm_ hurting, too! Say, Zipper, did any of the drug leak out just now?"

The small mammal police—several mice and rats—were inspecting the bag. In it were small white packages, all _tightly_ sealed in plastic.

"I doubt that," replied Zipper. "But maybe the bag itself got some on it as the drug was being packaged?"

"Well, whate'er it is, I doubt it's 'ealthy for us," said Monterey, rubbing his neck and laying his ears back. "Maybe we could use an asp'rin or two?"

Chip was about to agree, but then he looked at his best friend—or what was left of him—again.

He seemed to be in more pain than the others, for his ears were low and he was rubbing his elbows, shoulders, and wrists, wincing all the time.

That wasn't normal, not even for _traces_ of drug that supposedly made you feel _good_.

"Guys, when was the last time we had our checkups?" asked the Detective, also lowering his ears.

"Five months, two weeks, and four days ago," replied the Mechanic, mechanically, but with low ears as well.

Chip looked at her, almost amused. Yes, he loved that about her, but he knew that it would never be his now.

"Except for Dale, who had it one month and six days ago, right before his wed—"

"Thank you, Gadget, we know that," interrupted Chip. "Dale, perhaps you should see a doctor again."

"Perhaps I should," he agreed, mechanically again, still trying to rub his right wrist.

"Perhaps we _all_ should," buzzed Zipper, alighting on Monterey's shoulder, as his wing joints began feeling a trifle sore as well.

So, when the animal police took away the drug dealers and gangsters, the Rescue Rangers padded back to the Ranger Wing, and all of them were getting worried about Dale, since he appeared to have trouble padding now, and his fists were now opening and closing with pain as well.

* * *

Dale was the last one to get the tests done.

Chip wondered why Doctor Qandlier had ordered more tests for him; after all, they _all_ had the same symptoms: sore joints now and then.

Finally, the examination room door opened, and two rodents exited.

The other Rangers stood in the waiting room and looked at the middle-aged chipmunk, waiting for his verdict.

The doctor looked at the Rangers and declared, "It appears that all of you have developed a mild form of arthritis. It's quite rare, seeing how young you all are. I was expecting it to appear on your large murid friend here, but not until some ten years from now. Still, it's nothing serious. A few mild medications should correct the problem."

"Was it caused by any type of chemical poisonin'?" asked Dale.

"No. It actually appears to be a simple chemical imbalance. I suggest you all check your diets and see if they're balanced. Dale, could you please take these prescriptions to the pharmacy? They'll give you all the medication you and your friends will need."

Dale mechanically took the paper from the doctor's paw and padded away to another area of the medical centre.

As soon as he rounded a corner, Doctor Qandlier turned to the other Rangers and stated coldly:

_"Your friend is dying."_

The suddenness of it caused the others to simply look at him.

Slowly, their brains caught grasp of what the doctor said.

Dale, their friend, teammate, detective, Rescue Ranger, was…was…

_ …dying?_

"Wait, how can that be?" buzzed Zipper, incredulous. "He seems quite healthy, he does exercise, he has a great performance record on all our recent cases—"

Chip interrupted, "Wait a minute, what about the medical tests he took before the wedding? Doctor, did you find out he had some terminal disease, and did he swear you to secrecy?"

A sudden stream of logical reasoning burst forth from the Detective, "Of _course_! With him being so reckless, it's what he _must_ have done! Even with a terminal disease, he decided to go through with the wedding _anyway_, and then he planned to eventually tell Foxglove and the rest of us much later on! And it was during the kidnapping when he finally realised the insanity of it all! _That's_ why he called it off! _That's_—!"

"I'm afraid your winged friend is correct, Chip. Dale _is_ quite healthy."

Chip did a double take on the physician, with his deductive reasoning suddenly truncated. Confusion crept in again, as they tried to sort out the two conflicting diagnosis's.

"But if he's quite healthy, how can he be dying?" asked Gadget.

The doctor sighed, "I'm afraid that Dale's problem is more psychological than physical."

"Huh?" asked all the Rangers.

"Have you heard of how a wild rabbit, if captured and kept in captivity, can will itself to _die_ if it's not released?"

Monterey quietly gasped at that question.

He turned sombre as he painfully remembered a certain incident, and there would be no exaggerating nor stretching of the truth this time.

His ears and tail sagged, "Y-yes. I 'ave. In fact, I've seen it 'appen. Once I tried to free a bunny that was caged in a farm. 'E was goin' moighty quick, and I tried to free 'im, but I couldn't get the blasted cage open. I told the bloke to 'ang on, and I left to look for somethin' to open the cage with. When I came back…I was too late."

The doctor continued, "I believe Dale's problem is similar: For some reason, he is _willing_ himself to die, subconsciously, at least. The initial tests gave different results than the rest of you, and that's why I ordered the additional tests. All of them point to the same thing: his body is slowly deteriorating. Arthritis is just the first symptom. If this continues, his hearing and eyesight will follow, then his voice and sense of smell."

Finally, they were fully hit with understanding.

Some ears and tails sagged, and some others stiffened:

_"NO!"_ chattered Chip.

"Not me pally!"

"Dale!"

"This is illogical!"

Doctor Qandlier just sighed. In his profession, detaching oneself emotionally from the patients was vital for his own survival.

This was not the first time he had diagnosed such an outcome, nor would it be the last.

He ignored their outbursts and calmly asked, "Has Dale been through any traumatic psychological experiences lately?"

The Rangers suddenly hushed, as they knew all too well the answer to that question.

And Chip had to answer it.

His ears and tail sagged, "Y-yes. Last month, he called off his wedding, after his fiancée was kidnapped. She left shortly after that—"

"I was wondering why Foxglove wasn't with you. The papers didn't say much of what happened, so I thought that all of you had overcome that incident. I'm afraid, then, that the problem is beyond my reach. Unfortunately, I only deal with cuts and bruises and headaches and broken bones and such. I urge you to take him to a psycholo—"

"What we need is a second opinion, 'doctor'!" growled the Aussie, with stiff ears and tail. "Dale doesn't need a shrink roight now!"

This was also not the first time a diagnosis of his was questioned, so the doctor remained calm.

"Whatever it is you wish to do, do it quickly. He is deteriorating even as we speak."

"Wait, shouldn't we tell him about this?" asked Gadget.

"He'll most likely deny the problem. Whatever is hurting him, he _must_ get someone to help him deal with it, _immediately_…"


	22. EIKOSI — MORE DRYING AS WELL

**EIKOSI — MORE DRYING AS WELL**

"I don't understand how this is going to help my arthritis, Doctor," said Foxglove.

She was at a psychologist's office, but instead of lying down on the couch, she was hanging from a bar on the wall, conveniently placed for chiropterid patients.

The doctor, a middle-aged grey squirrel lady named Johanna, sat on a chair in front of her.

"It will help, don't worry," she assured, as she prepared her notepad and pencil. "Now, just relax and answer truthfully. How do you feel right now?"

"Now? Well…fine…I guess—"

"You're working as an interpreter at the UN. Is that where you've always wanted to work?"

Foxglove sighed, "Well…no, I guess not…"

"Really? Why not?"

"Well, I suppose it's better for me to be there than just do nothing but catch insects at night."

The sciurus wrote something down and asked again, "Foxglove, weren't you a Rescue Ranger? Why did you leave them?"

The pipistrell hesitated, and nearly choked on her reply, "I…I _had_ to leave…"

"Really? Why? Weren't you going to marry Dale? It was in all the papers."

"The papers didn't say _everything_, Doctor," she growled, ears and tail stiffening.

Johanna raised an eyebrow and continued, "I read that you were kidnapped that night, and was rescued an hour later. What else happened?"

Foxglove began hurting again. "That night…Dale finally saw the light…he…suddenly realised he wasn't the best for me. So, he let me go. I had to leave the Rescue Rangers because of that. There's no way that I would have been able to live with him and know we'd never…be _anything_…"

Johanna paused.

She was dealing with a broken heart.

"Foxglove, I'm sorry for what happened. Now, have you ever wished your life were different from what it is now?"

The batmaid shivered and replied through her teeth, _"All—the—time."_

She silenced, so the squirrel lady coaxed her a trifle, "And what would you like to have different about it?"

She sighed again, "I would have liked to have remained a Rescue Ranger. I would have liked to have married Dale—"

"I mean besides that. Do you wish that you could meet someone besides Dale?"

The chiropterid's heart stopped, and she replied with a knotted throat, "I keep wishing I had never met him. I keep wishing I could forget him. As for finding someone else…well, I decided to stay single. I'll just continue to be as I am."

The rodent wrote something down again, and continued, "What did you do after you broke up with Dale?"

"I looked for my parents, found out they were dead, got adopted by a brother and sister, and I took a job at the UN. I'm helping a lot of animals, so I guess I _should_ be happy now, but I'm not. I guess I'll never be happy again."

The sciurid thought for a moment, thinking she was pinpointing the problem now.

"Foxglove, what did you feel when Dale let you go?"

The verspetilionid turned and echosounded at her with anger.

"Doctor, I _died_ that night. You hear me? I _died_! And what's worse, I keep dreaming of Dale and me being together, if you know what I mean. Maybe all of this pain would just go away if you'd just hypnotise me and erase Dale from my head—"

"I'm afraid hypnosis is much more complex than that, Foxglove," she interrupted, "One just can't go into someone else's head and reprogram it as if it were a computer. One thought may be linked to a thousand others, so if one is erased, there will be plenty more to replace it. Also, the effects of hypnosis are never permanent. Now, you said you've thought about death. Have you ever thought of suicide?"

The batmaid winced again.

"Several times. But you don't have to worry about me going through with it. Dale wouldn't want that."

"Foxglove, have you ever thought of the future? Of what you will be doing later on?"

Foxglove thought for a while, and replied, "Well, no, not really. I guess I'll just continue working at the UN, learn some more languages—"

"What is your concept of death? Not suicide, just 'death'."

The batmaid winced slightly once more.

"Death? Well, I know it's something that will happen to all of us, but I guess we're supposed to live this life as best we can before we go, maybe…and death…is the final resting place, where you're free from pain, free from evil…free from sin…free from…from…yaaaawwwwwwn…from…"

The batmaid was sound asleep.

_They just had to bring her in the morning…_ mumbled the doctor to herself.

Still, that was all she needed, so she let Foxglove sleep and left her office.

Outside, Foxglove's adopted family was waiting, also a trifle sleepily. She looked at them for a moment, took a deep breath, and declared:

_"I'm sorry to say that your friend is dying."_

The bats gasped as one when they heard that, and all manner of somnolence left them. Ears and tails stiffened again.

"But…but…you're a psychologist," said Otis. "Can't you help her?"

"I can only help if she's willing to accept my help, which may prove difficult. From what I was able to diagnose, I can see that her spirit has been broken. Without any specific long-range plans, she has lost all her will to live; she's like a zombie, almost. The only reason why she hasn't committed suicide yet is because she knows that it will hurt her ex-fiancé. I'm sorry to confirm what your physician diagnosed: she is slowly deteriorating."

"Cain't shey bey heyellped?" asked Feyyanna, anxiously.

"Like I said, that will happen _only_ if she accepts our help. She suggested I hypnotise her to have her forget her ex-fiancé, but that will only make her forget the _cause_ of the problem."

She sighed, looking back at her office where Foxglove was sleeping, and continued, "The only way we can save her is if we give her a specific reason to live. The present situation she placed herself in is simply to—pardon the term—_kill_ time. It has no real purpose in her life save that of not wanting to remain idle. And if she _was_ idle, then chances are that she would already be dead. She would have died of a broken heart, literally."

"So what do we do?" asked Richard.

"She's suppressed many emotions since the break-up. They're eating at her. We all must try to bring them forth again, and, if possible, have someone who will help her let go of Dale."

"Let go? As in finding her another boyfriend?" asked Rosie.

"If possible, yes."

Otis felt a trifle nervous, as his ears sagged a trifle.

"But…but, she refused to seek another mate! She told us that! If she needed a family, then haven't we done enough?"

"You know a brother is not the same as a boyfriend. And all of you _have_ done a great job in taking care of her, but it's the emotions that she 'killed' that are causing this problem. Again, her present family hasn't exactly filled in the void, you all have more like 'stalled' her, if you wish to call it that. The break-up was so devastating for her that it triggered the deterioration. If we're to stop it, then we must somehow either reconcile her with her ex-fiancé, or have them 're-do' the break-up and have them part on friendlier terms."

"Bring her back to Dale?" asked Richard. "But she refuses to hear…er…see him again!"

"Mebeh eff we toll hur sheye's dayen'—"

"Well, she's going through tons of denial, so I doubt that would help. This is a very complex syndrome, but as with some other cases I've had, it's best if it's dealt with at the source. She _must_ speak with Dale again."

Otis remained quiet.

At first, he _knew_ Foxglove was taken, and he considered Dale to be the luckiest male alive. When he heard of the break-up, he _knew_ Foxglove was fair game, but he _didn't_ want to take advantage of her when she was emotionally vulnerable. He tried to help her, and he took her in as his sister.

Yes, he wanted more, but now he wasn't sure.

They could bring her back to Dale and risk both of them getting back together, or maybe they would part on friendlier terms, and then they would be able to re-arrange their relationship…

And yet, that would be almost like _taking_ her from Dale.

His mind raced with the possibilities: give her up to Dale, have Dale convince her to have _him_, or watch her _die_, if she refused to do either.

What _could_ he do?

What _should_ he do?

Echosounding back at the office, he tightened his wings in front of him in silent frustration, as well as his ears and tail.

He had to make a choice, a very difficult one, and he was running out of time…


	23. EIKOSIHEIS — MONTEREY'S LAMENT: MOST DEF

**EIKOSIHEIS — MONTEREY'S LAMENT: MOST DEFINITELY DEAD**

It had been several days since the comediless night at The Nutshell.

Dale put his rapier (a customised sewing needle) back in its case, and removed his white fencing suit.

As he donned his grey shirt again, he once more felt that pain in his shoulders. He tried to ignore it as he put everything back in the closet, but it seemed that the more he ignored it, the more it intensified.

Looking at the clock, he lowered his ears, and sighed.

Time to take his medicine again.

He sorely padded to his cabinet, took the medicine bottle (originally a contact lens vial), and removed a pill. Then, he left his room and went to the kitchen to get some water.

_When they say eight hours, they mean eight hours_, he thought, as he filled his thimble. _Good thing this is extra strength._

He popped the pill and drank up.

When he finished, he decided to go outside.

As he did, he wondered why he had to take more medication than the others did. Maybe it was due to all the incidents that had happened to him: besides being in jungles and foreign countries as well as outer space, his record included getting zapped by witches and aliens, coming in contact with meteorites that _could_ have been radioactive, being immersed in sewer water, eating chocolate that had been left out in the jungle for days—

Yes, he was paying for his goof-ups now.

But it was a good thing that Foxglove was not here to pay _with_ him, after all, she would have _never_ done what he always did.

That was another reason why he let her go.

Padding along the runway, he jumped on an adjacent branch, and laid down.

He would have to say that there _were_ times when he felt immortal. Pretending he was some red-clad superhero, or even _being_ an elastic superhero, but now, the truth of his own mortality had finally become clear to him.

He had goofed up one time too many, and now his body was finally catching up with all the abuse it had received, and it was catching up with a vengeance, beginning with the time he fainted on Foxglove.

Fortunately, he did _not_ have a terminal disease, according to Doctor Qandlier. He was simply experiencing the results of all the abuse he put on himself.

In time, he would recover, and he would be a better chipmunk. Now, he would just have to sit there and take his medicine like a good cub.

He felt odd for a moment, as he realised that he was actually glad that Foxglove was not here to see him like this. She deserved much better…

* * *

…much better than how he saw himself yesterday. All morning long he had constant pain in his joints, only slightly minimised by his medication. He was more or less able to put the pain out of his mind as he and the other Rangers searched for yet another lost puppy.

The little boy had left the picture of his beloved pet at the police station, and the Rangers had once again taken it for reference.

Starting from the boy's home, near the Hudson River, he quickly identified the pup's scent, and guided Gadget with the Ranger Skate. Monterey and Zipper were also with them in the vehicle, and Chip was above them with the Ranger Wing.

They drove/flew along the shore upstream; the pup obviously had been overcome with curiosity and had wanted to explore the world.

Finding the pup was no problem; he was stuck inside a small broken steel pipe, after he followed a moth into it.

Chip landed and together they pulled him out, with a large amount of effort, as the puppy was a Labrador on the chubby side.

As they yanked him free and tumbled along the riverbank, Dale felt that sharp pain in his joints once again, causing his ears to droop again.

When they all stood and shook the sand off themselves, Dale painfully padded aside and stuck his paw in his mouth. He dug into his right cheek pouch, and pulled out a small plastic bag, which had his pills in it.

He was about to take his medication, and the rest were preparing to take the pup home, when the wind shifted, bringing a _very_ acrid scent to everyone's nostrils.

Smoke.

"Looks like someone's burning trash," said Gadget. "Or at least burning some plastic."

Dale was about to comment that he also smelled burning pinewood, paper, rubber, and some old milk cartons, with some traces of hair or fur, but a honk from a bugle interrupted him.

No, it wasn't a bugle, it was an bulb horn, those that had a rubber bulb on one end.

And it was a mini-bulb horn, too, one custom-made for rodents.

But the only rodent they knew who carried such an instrument was—

The male middle-aged mouse had light-brown fur and white headfur. He wore an old grey trenchcoat over a long brown shirt, a green scarf around his neck, an old black top hat on his ruffled headfur, and old purple fingerless gloves on his paws.

His ears were low and his tail was stiff as he ran over the bank, honking his bulb horn furiously.

_"Mouseo!"_ exclaimed the Rescue Rangers, as he ran up to them—

Dale noticed that Gadget's old friend smelled like smoke himself.

That, and he saw wisps of smoke coming from Mouseo's ruffled headfur.

The deaf-mute mouse then stuck his digits into his mouth and whistled furiously while laying his ears against his head, pointing frantically in the direction he had just run from.

The Rangers looked up, and saw a pillar of black, white, and grey smoke billowing behind the riverbank.

_FIRE!_

The Rangers and the Labrador pup ran over the bank and saw that the smoke was coming from within an alley. If they didn't know better, human garbage had indeed been set on fire.

Unfortunately, human garbage is where most homeless rodents and other small mammals gathered to try to make a living.

As the Rangers, Mouseo, and the pup ran toward the alley, they saw several rodents stagger out of it, coughing profusely. Some had smoke emanating from themselves, and still others had badly singed fur and clothing.

Mouseo continued whistling furiously and pointing at the source of the smoke: several burning wooden crates stacked against the side of a building.

From the way he was whistling, the Rangers realised that there were more animals inside.

Without thinking, Dale popped his pills and swallowed, while he, Chip, and Monterey ran to the crates. Gadget and Zipper stayed behind: Zipper, because the heat would melt his wings instantly; and Gadget, because she was suddenly studying some pipes along the opposite wall.

Inside the crates, the smoke made everyone's eyes water, and it caused instant headaches, too, with the pain stinging right behind their eyes, bringing low all their ears.

The odd thing was that the medication didn't seem to have any effect on the pain Dale had in his joints.

In fact, it seemed to be getting _worse_.

He had no time to think about that now. They had to search for any animals in here.

Using his shirt to cover his snout, while Chip used his fedora and Monterey used his leather helmet, they squinted through the smoke, searching for victims, and running through what seemed to be a maze of extremely improvised halls and doorways.

Dale turned into a makeshift room, and nearly ran out again due to the unbearable heat that the flames generated on one side.

The reason he didn't was because he saw someone inside.

Huddled in the far corner, right in front of the flames, was a _chipmunk cub_.

Above the crackle of the flames, Dale could barely hear him sobbing and coughing.

Ignoring his own pain, he dashed into the room, reached the cub, and bent down to pick him up, shielding him with his own body.

"[COUGH!]—It's okay!—[COUGH!]—We're here for you—[COUGH!]—!"

"D-daddy?" asked the young one.

Dale had no time to reply. He picked up the cub, held him tightly against him, and stood.

Well, that was what he tried to do.

As he straightened up, a horrible explosion of pain shot through every joint in his body, including his entire vertebral column.

Dale crumpled to the floor, numbed by the arthritis pain and the acrid smoke.

He tried to blink himself back to consciousness. This Rescue Ranger simply could not just lie there and wait for the pain to subside!

Looking up, he saw that the ceiling was now on fire.

_"Dale!"_ he heard Chip chatter.

Hastahah had no other choice. He began rolling painfully on the floor, with the cub, hoping to make it to the door.

A burning plank fell.

And it fell right beside his right thigh.

Dale nearly chattered from the pain, but he shifted himself and managed to painfully roll away faster.

_"DALE!"_

He was in the hallway now. He tried to stand, but his knees refused to obey his command and protested with horrible pain, sending him to the floor again.

The wall next to him then burst into flames—

No. He couldn't die like this. He had to do something to save this cub—

This cub, who _could_ have been his, who _could_ have been the same one who would have stayed up at night wondering if his father was going to come home—

This cub who had called him "Daddy"—

The wall fell on them.

Dale rolled over, shielding the cub with his body, hoping it would survive, and that the curse from Hell would die with him once and for all—

The wood hit his back, but much to his surprise, it was dripping with water now. It still felt hot, but the temperature was tolerable.

Slowly, he came to realise that water was being sprayed all over the area, and all over himself and the cub.

Moments later, the wood was lifted off himself and the cub—

"Crikeys! Dale, pally, what 'appened to you?"

Dale looked up and saw a somewhat singed and very worried Monterey Jack above him. He was about to reply, but all he could come up with was a horrifying cough—

Then darkness fell on him.

* * *

The rest later told him that he had fainted from the smoke, and they took him and some other animals to the hospital, and after that, the Labrador pup was returned to his home.

Parts of his fur were very badly singed, but his hide only received first-degree burns.

The cub wasn't badly injured, either. In fact, it was because of him that the cub didn't die.

And it was because of _Gadget_ and her quick thinking and Zipper and his leverage tactics that _he_ didn't die. They managed to disconnect a water pipe and aim it at the crates just in time, with the help of the Labrador pup, too. They sustained plenty of minor injuries, including Monterey and Chip, with all the animals _they_ pulled out, but they managed to rescue _all_ of Mouseo's friends, who, of course, were tremendously grateful to them, but especially to _Dale_, because he had managed to rescue the chipmunk cub—

###### it, _he_ didn't rescue the cub, Gadget and Zipper did! _They_ sprayed the water just in time! And why didn't Mouseo bother to take any of the credit? After all, _he_ saw the Ranger Wing and had managed to run to it to get help before the crates completely burned down.

Gadget seemed to think that Mouseo _did_ deserve some credit, which is why she asked him to come to Headquarters so she could teach him formal sign language. That way, Mouseo would not have to resort to rudimentary pantomime whenever he needed to communicate complex messages.

Mouseo, in fact, had left an hour earlier, and before he did, he managed to tell him, "I—am—very—grateful—to you—and the—Rangers—for—being—there—right—on time—but more—to you—Dale—for—saving—that—cub—in the—nick—of—time"

Why couldn't the others realise that he had nearly killed himself _and_ the cub? Why couldn't the others realise that even with the Comedian being so far gone now, he had crumpled to the floor like an autumn leaf—!

_Again._

Once more, he had failed as a Rescue Ranger.

Technically, he didn't goof up, but his goof-ups _were_ indirectly involved.

His previous life was taking a _very_ heavy toll on him. Now he needed to take even _stronger_ medicine _and_ take it easy for the next few days.

It was a good thing Segoleh had been killed earlier, otherwise Segoleh might have killed _him_ yesterday.

And it was _also_ a good thing that Foxglove had not seen him yesterday, either. Even with the Comedian gone, he was _still_ paying _very_ severely for his previous mistakes. She deserved _so much better than that…_

Idly, he scraped some singed fur off himself. He would have continued meditating on yesterday's events when heard Zipper's buzz approaching, along with Monterey's heavy pawsteps, and moments later they both joined him on the branch.

"'Ad a good workout today, mate?"

"Yes. I had to take it slow, like the doctor said. If Chip and Gadget don't come back with another case, I'll just rest here a bit more. I don't know why, but I've been feelin' very tired lately. Must be all that medication…not just what happened yesterday, though if you want me to help you with lunch, I could—"

"Nah, that's all roight, pally. Say, would you like to go inside and watch some tube? After all, if we're goin' to relax, we moight as well enjoy ourselves. I 'ear there's a new sitcom premierin' tonight—"

"No thanks, Monty, I think I'll pass."

Dale's monotone speech was just about to set off the Aussie's temper, from the looks of his ears and tail.

Zipper quickly intervened, "And there is also a new cartoon premiering after it. Wanna watch it?"

"Oh, come on guys, it's a nice day, why can't we relax out here? After all, it's not healthy to watch that much TV. I…I learned that the _hard_ way…"

Dale drifted off for a moment, but Zipper asked again, "Then why don't we study some workouts of our own?"

The chipmunk looked at him, "We did that two days ago, Zip. But later on I might help Gadget with—"

"I'll _tell_ you what's not 'ealthy, you 'munk!"

Dale was caught off guard by Monterey's outburst.

He stood and continued, "_Killin'_ oneself ain't exactly good for you either!"

Dale lowered his ears again and sighed, "Monty, we've talked about this—"

"No, we 'aven't, lad! I _told_ you that you'd be killin' a part of yerself _and_ Foxy if you killed the Comedian, but you killed 'im anyways, and now yore _dyin'_!"

Dale sat up and countered, "No, Monty, I'm not _dyin'_, I'm already _dead_! And the Clown is dead all for the better!"

Chip and Gadget had returned a few moments ago and had heard the discussion, so they padded outside to see what was happening.

"No, Dale! You're dying _now_!" buzzed Zipper.

Dale painfully sighed as he remembered what Foxglove told him once, and replied, "Aren't we all?"

"Mate, what we're tryin' to tell you is that by killin' the Comedian, yer bringin' yerself to an early grave!"

Dale sat back at that.

The doctor never told him that, and the psychologist he went to see (at his recommendation) did not mention it, either.

"Monty, what are you talkin' about?"

"Dale, you killed the Comedian. That's tantamount to killin' _yerself_! That pain you 'ave now? That's part of it, and it nearly killed you yesterday! Now, if you don't come around, yer goin' to die for good, and maybe Foxy as well!"

Now _that_ was an accusation that the sciurid would not stand for.

True, Foxglove had also died that night, but dying _physically_ certainly was _not_ what he intended on doing that night.

"I don't believe that!" he chattered, with angry ears and tail. "All I have is some arthritis that came from all the goof-ups I caused, from the goof-ups _The Comedian_ caused! With the right medicine and exercise, we'll pull through—"

"Dale…mate…pally…" Monterey caught his breath for a moment, and relaxed his ears and tail, in an effort to calm himself down. "Yer goin' to _die_ if you don't bring yerself _back_!"

Dale remained quiet for a bit. Then, he painfully stood up, and looked at the huge mouse, "Monty, when was the last time I deliberately messed up?"

Monterey thought for a moment, and replied, "Um, that would 'ave been on the case afore yer weddin'."

Dale then turned to Gadget, "Gadget, when was the last time I screwed up an invention of yours?"

The mousemaid scanned her memory for 1.98 seconds, and replied, "Golly, Dale, I guess I also have to say that it was just before your wedding."

He then turned to the fly, "Zipper, when was the last time I fouled up in a situation that needed stealth?"

The fly didn't want to, but he had to reply, "It was also on the case before your wedding, but you _didn't_ mess up when you were in Fat Cat's—"

Looking at his best friend's eyes, Dale continued, "Chip, when was the last time _I_ lost my temper?"

His answer was different, but he still didn't like it, "I…I guess I have to say that it was right after you came back, with the discussion we had—"

"And when was the last time you bonked me?"

Chip stopped breathing for a moment.

He resumed, with low ears, "It was also when you came back."

Dale kept quiet again for a moment, and then explained, "Don't you get it, guys? _All_ our major foul-ups ended when I killed the Comedian! The Clown was harmin' the team, he was placin' us—placin' _Foxy_—in more danger than was called for; he was _killin'_ us! Now he's gone, and as much as _I_ miss him, he _can't_ and he _won't_ be back…_ever_!"

"But pally, shouldn't you and Foxy _at least_ try to get back together, maybe jus' as frien—?"

_"NO!"_ he chattered, with angry ears and tail again, causing all others to lower their ears a trifle. "_She_ left, and _she_ must come back, otherwise it's clear that she _never_ wanted me in the first place and that she's found someone else! And I will _not_ court _her_ or _anyone_, _anymore_! Mister Maplewood, Miss Hackwrench, Mister Colby, Mister Lightringer, this conversation is _over_ and I will _not_ speak of it, with you _or_ with no shrink, **_ever_**—**_again_**! _DO YOU UNDERSTAND? **EVER**_!"

With that, the riled tamias painfully stormed back into the tree, leaving outside a very shocked, afraid, and pained chipmunk, two mice, and a fly…


	24. EIKOSIDUO — THE LAST MATCHMAKERS

**EIKOSIDUO — THE LAST MATCHMAKERS**

Chip opened the door to the kitchen as he was about to go back into the living room.

At that moment, Gadget had planned to enter the kitchen, so their eyes met.

When they looked at each other, however, all they saw was sadness and anger, expressed in ears and tails. They both knew what they wanted, and they both knew that it would never happen now, ever.

And they _both_ knew whose decision it had been for that.

They unlocked their gaze one moment later, and went their separate ways.

Just as Chip left the kitchen, he heard the door knocking, so he went to answer.

When he opened the door, a gorgeous female chipmunk kissed him square on the right cheek, with her tail quivering again. However, Chip noticed that it was a very light kiss this time, not anything like what he received the other day—

"Hello, sugar," said Clarice, now clad in a long light-orange dress, and without a hat this time. Her voice was sweet and cheery. "Is Dale here?"

"Sure. Come in and sit down, and I'll go get him."

Clarice entered and Chip closed the door. He led her to the couch and she sat down, and then he went to look for Dale.

* * *

As he entered the hallway, he noticed that there was a light on at the very end. He padded toward the storage room, which was originally supposed to be the Oakmonts' room.

The door was open, so he entered and was very much surprised to find _Dale_ inside.

He was just standing there, ears straight, among all the stacked boxes and bags, looking at the window, apparently lost in thought.

Apparently, because one moment later, he turned and saw a very surprised Chip behind him, who asked, "Dale, what are _you_ doing in here? I thought you never wanted to come in—"

"Well, Chip, I was rememberin' a suggestion the psychologist gave me, and I decided to follow it and face my trauma again. I guess it was about time I stopped actin' stupid and just come in here. This is just a room now. It could have been Foxy's and mine, but it's not. Still, it makes a great storage room, doesn't it? We've needed one for a while now…" He trailed off again.

Chip's reaction at that statement would have been one of bonking, but for some reason, it was just not in him now. Also, he was more concerned with something else that Dale said.

He lowered his ears, "Dale, you _haven't_ been acting stupid. We all understood you not wanting to come in here. We all know how difficult it was for you—"

"Yes, it was. And…thanks for understandin'. But I suppose I also have to stop thinkin' of what happened…or what _could_ have been…"

That was easier said than done, and they both knew that. And in order to do so, Dale needed to get his mind off that and on to something else:

"Dale, someone's here to see you."

"I know. Clarice is here."

Chip stood back for a moment.

"H-how did you know _that_?"

Dale turned fully and replied, "I can smell her perfume a mile away."

Here, Chip expected Dale to say that with a smile, but again, he did not smile. And again, it simply wasn't in him anymore to even _try_ bonking him—

Fear then pounced on him again as he saw Dale _pad with difficulty_ past him and into the hallway. He was practically limping!

He was _dying_…

* * *

Clarice looked up when she heard Dale shuffling. "Hello, sugar!" she greeted jovially, ears up and tail quivering.

"Hello, Clarice," he said, mechanically again, bursting her bubble once more, making her ears go flat and her tail stop moving. "What brings you here?"

Clarice almost felt like slapping him, but she controlled herself.

"Um, well, Dale, I'm performing again tonight, and I was wondering if you and your friends would like to come?"

"I'll have to check with my boss." Dale then turned and looked at Chip, who was now behind him, "Mr. Maplewood, do we have any cases tonight?"

Chip was a trifle shocked when his best friend addressed him so formally.

Dale was dying, _and_ he was already dead at the same time.

As for his question, Chip wanted to look for Foxglove—

Dale was not looking at him.

Dale was looking at _Clarice_.

And _she_ was looking straight back at him—

Did Dale's tail twitch just now?

"Well, no Dale, we don't have any cases tonight. Unless Clarice has another anonymous tip for us?"

She blinked for a moment, and replied, "What? Oh…um, no, Chip, I haven't heard of any more trades going down."

Dale then asked, "Clarice, how did you know about the trade Capone was going to do? I mean…_you_ don't use drugs, do you?"

A coy smile came on her face, bringing her ears up again as she explained, "You know I wouldn't touch that stuff with a ten-foot pole, darling, but unfortunately there are plenty of creepy mammals out there who'll offer anything to anyone who's loaded like I am. Also, being a celebrity _does_ unfortunately bring you in contact with the animal underworld. You wouldn't _believe_ the stuff I heard—just _heard_, mind you—back in Vegas. So, I decided to use my knowledge for something useful and help score another point for the good guys."

"And we scored a _big_ hit against Capone and his thugs!" exclaimed Dale, but still without any smile or tail movement. "We owe you one, Clarice. Thanks."

Clarice lowered her ears and was about to start blushing at that complement, but Dale's tone was dead enough to make even Gallagher put away his watermelons.

"Y-your welcome," she replied, with her coyness abruptly cut off.

But there was something else. Chip saw that Dale was about to crack a smile, not to mention he was staring _very_ intently at Clarice's face. Maybe they wouldn't need to look for Foxglove tonight. Maybe—

Another female had come back for _Dale_?

"Well, Clarice, since we don't have a case tonight, I suppose we can all go and see you perform again. But…are you busy right now?"

"Now? No, rehearsals just finished an hour ago."

"Would you like a tour of Rescue Ranger Headquarters? You know, see what we've done and built, like the way you've taken us to see what _you've_ done."

Clarice thought for a moment, and replied, "Sure, honey, I'd love to have a tour of your place!"

"Great! Dale, please take Ms. Tamiassara on a tour of the tree house."

Dale suddenly turned to Chip.

He knew exactly why he had asked him to do that, and he was _not_ pleased in any way.

"Yes, _Mister_ Maplewood," he growled.

Also, the look Dale gave him actually made Chip lower his ears and shiver.

With stiff ears and tail, Dale took Clarice's paw, helped her stand, and led her into the hangar.

* * *

As they left, Chip wondered if it had been a wise move.

But Dale needed another reason to live! He didn't have to marry Clarice tomorrow, but at least, maybe he would like to see her tomorrow, because she would come back tomorrow, maybe—

Another knock on the door interrupted his train of thought. And he was quite surprised when he opened and saw—

"Otis!" he hissed, stiffening up, padding outside and closing the door. The last thing Dale needed now was to see another bat, and a _male_ one at that. "What are you doing here?"

Otis yawned lightly for a moment, because it was still early evening. He swallowed another yawn and replied, "Yaaa—sorry, Chip. This is kinda an emergency. Foxglove's not feeling well."

Chip wanted to scream at that, but he kept his jaw clamped. He whispered, knowing Otis would have no problem with that, "Foxglove? Do you know where she is? What happened to her?"

Otis proceeded to explain what had happened to Foxglove since the tragic night.

Chip gasped when he heard that she had been at The Nutshell Club when Dale sang that song.

And his heart sank when he heard what the doctors had told Otis: the same thing that was happening to Dale was happening to _Foxglove_.

"Foxglove is _dying_," he concluded.

"_Dale_ is dying," added Chip.

Now it was Otis' turn to have his ears droop and his heart sink as he heard Dale's side of the tragedy. While he knew that Foxglove had been madly in love with the chipmunk, he never realised just _how much_ it had been the other way around. And he now knew that Foxglove would never be his: Dale and Foxglove were meant to be together, or, at least, they were supposed to be good friends.

"The psychologist suggested that those two should try to reconcile, or at least part on friendlier terms. Were you told the same thing?"

"Almost," replied Chip. "But Dale refuses to go back to her, _or_ find someone else!"

"Foxy's refused as well. What do we do now?"

Chip covered his eyes and tried to think. Think, think, think—

"Wait here," he said. He then dashed back inside…

* * *

"…and this is the storage room. Originally, it was supposed to be Foxy and mine's, but…we had a change of plans. Still, I'm glad we made good use of it."

Clarice was torn between being with the most handsome chipmunk in the world and hearing the most monotone description of a detective agency. She wanted to kiss him and slap some sense into him at the same time.

Hmm, that _might_ work—

"Dale," she said, trying to sound as comforting as possible, "I'm sorry for everything that happened. You didn't deserve—"

"Clarice," he interrupted. He was actually beginning to think that he _did_ deserve it, after all the goof-ups he did, "Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault. And…it's over…and it'll never happen again."

Compassion and tenderness then filled Clarice's eyes, and she drooped her ears and tail, "Dale, darling, please don't say that. I understand if it was hell for both of you, but…you're cheating yourself out of something wonderful! The pain…comes with it…I know…but it's better than not loving at all—"

Dale then looked into her eyes, with pain showing in his eyes, ears, and tail again, "Clarice, I know what you're implyin', and I _do_ want to love. And I'll always love Foxy, Gadget, _and_ you, but…I _can't_…it's for the sake of the Rescue Rangers…and future generations."

Confusion now jumped on her face. "What?"

Dale sighed, "It's a long story. But what happened to me—and Foxy—is _not_ the first time that it's happened to someone of my family. The Oakmonts are under a curse, and it must be broken _now_. Maybe you don't believe in curses or that type of stuff, but we've had contact with the supernatural side of things. Trust me, I _know_ what I'm talkin' about."

Clarice was about to ask something else when Chip entered.

"Clarice, we'd love to go to The Nutshell Club tonight…"

* * *

Dale, Monterey, and Zipper were sitting by themselves at a table in front of the stage.

"Looks like Gadget found plenty of things to fix backstage," said Dale, "they're sure takin' their time."

Monterey kept glancing at the main entrance, appearing a tad nervous. "Ah, you know Gadget, mate. She wants everythin' workin' jus' fine or she won't be able to sleep at night. And you know Chippah's 'urrying 'er along."

* * *

Backstage, Gadget _was_ working on the sound set-up, but that was not the main reason why she was there. She, Chip, and Clarice were waiting, and discussing the plan.

"You've got the lyrics?" asked Chip, with nervous ears and tail.

"Right here."

Clarice handed him a folded paper, which he opened and read.

One minute later, the chipmunkmaid asked him, also with nervous ears and tail, "And _that_ is going to bring them back together?" She couldn't help but feel afraid. When Chip told her that Dale was dying, she immediately offered to help him in any way possible.

"Music is powerful," he explained. "Foxglove was here when Dale sang his song, and according to Otis, she almost jumped at him. If you can coax them the right way, through music, they may either reconcile, or at least be friends again."

Clarice was quite torn by that plan. The only way she could save the love of her life was to sing a song that would make him fall in love again—_with someone else_. And she more than anyone knew the power of music, so it had been up to her to choose the one song that would be perfect for the occasion.

Then again, there was the chance that they would simply be just friends again, and then she would give him, just him, another song she had already chosen—

"All set," said Gadget, coming up to them. "The air conditioning is aimed at a right angle relative to Dale's position and Foxglove's path to his table. He shouldn't be able to detect her until the last moment. Also, your sound system is now 23.43 percent more efficient. The rest of the band is ready as well."

"Good," said Chip, with his tail twitching nervously. "Otis should be here any moment now."

* * *

Monterey and Zipper kept glancing at the door. With all the animals that were padding about, it was a trifle difficult to identify who was entering and exiting.

Male squirrel entering, nope. Female chinchilla exiting, nope. Male mouse entering with female shrew, nope—

"Monty, are you expectin' someone?"

"Uh? What? Oh, no, Dale, I'm jus'…um…I thought I saw me Pop come in 'ere."

Zipper slapped his face when he heard that response.

"I thought your dad was in Alaska right now."

"Well…um…like I said, I _thought_ 'e came—"

Two chiropterids, male and female, entering.

Monterey nodded at Zipper, who then flew off backstage.

"He got impatient, too?" asked Dale. "What's goin' on?"

"Nothin', mate. 'E prob'ly jus' went to see what was the 'old-up."

* * *

"Are you okay, sis?" asked Otis, with nervous ears and tail himself, unlike his sister.

"Well, I'm a bit nervous. This place didn't exactly give me a great first impression. Still, the doctor said I _had_ to face my fears, right?"

"Yes. And remember, this is just a restaurant. That a bad thing happened here, well, so it did, but we shouldn't let that stop us from getting some great grasshoppers!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Um, Otis, why do you keep padding backwards in front of me and blocking my sonar?"

"I am? Uhh…"

Otis turned for a moment to give the place a quick scan. Then, he heard Monterey just in front of him. He then suddenly stopped and whirled Foxglove around so her back was toward Dale's table.

"What?" she asked, quite annoyed.

Otis pretended to scan in front of him, when he was actually nodding to Monterey.

* * *

"Monty, where are _you_ goin' now?" asked Dale.

The Aussie kept glancing back and forth from Otis to the stage. He replied with nervous ears and tail, "Uh, the little mouse's room. Be right back."

Monterey then made a hasty exit to the backstage door, just as the lights dimmed again.

_Hey, the bathroom isn't that way!_ thought Dale.

* * *

"They're here," said Zipper, as he flew into the backstage area, followed shortly by Monterey.

"Excellent. Gadget, prepare the lights!" replied Chip. "Clarice, get ready!"

* * *

"Otis!" she hissed.

"Um, sorry, sis, I thought I heard a 'shell' in front of us. But never mind. Our table is right here. Er…excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom."

Otis was slowly leading Foxglove to Dale's table without letting her scan it. He whirled her again and sat her down on Dale's left before she could figure out what was happening, and then he ran off backstage.

Foxglove was about to protest, when her sonar detected a disturbingly familiar arm and paw resting on the table.

Dale was about to tell the couple that suddenly appeared behind him that this table was already taken, when he suddenly sniffed a disturbingly familiar scent emanating from his left.

They both froze again, while their hearts raced.

Sitting a mere two centimetres from each other, was the love of each other's lives.

So close, and so far away.

Both of them desperately wanted to embrace each other and press their muzzles together, but every muscle in their bodies was locked in place. They couldn't even turn to look at each other, but instead kept on staring straight ahead to the stage, because they _knew_ that if they looked at each other they would lose control, much the same way Dale lost it when he finally brought himself to look at her eyes on that wonderful night one year ago—

All they could do now was breathe slowly and deeply, letting each other's scents fill their olfactory bulbs and invoke memories, pleasant and painful, happy and sad, wonderful and tragic—

But all ears and tails remained immobile.

Finally, it was the male who spoke.

"H-hello…Miss Foxglove…" he stuttered.

_Ouch!_ thought the female. That was the second time he had addressed her in that manner. And that politeness was hurting her more than he could ever imagine.

His voice was still hoarse, pained, monotone, devoid of life…_dead_?

"Hello…Mr. Oakmont."

She couldn't bring herself to say his name to his face. She couldn't even bring herself to wave her wing at him, much less coax him with her long eyelashes.

Dale, meanwhile, also noticed that Foxglove sounded tired, almost as if she was about to sleep.

He decided to snap out of whatever was pushing him down, and tried again, "Uh…hi, Foxy. Whatcha been up to?"

"Oh, you know…stuff."

It was the exact same greeting they used when Foxglove came back to the tree last year.

But back then, it was spontaneous, coy, even somewhat embarrassing for Dale, but now, it was cold, mechanical, pained, lifeless…_dead_…

* * *

Clarice, who had been watching that from just behind the curtain, commented, "I'm going to need a _jackhammer_ to break _that_ ice!"

"You _have_ a jackhammer," replied Gadget. "I've just read the song, and it sounds like it should work with no problems—"

Chip, Monterey, and Zipper gasped at that statement.

While they knew that Gadget's inventions had the small quirk of breaking down practically any time Gadget said the NP words, that was the first time they heard her apply those words to someone else's plan.

"What?" asked Otis and Gadget, the former wondering if the others thought she just said something tremendously rude, from the way the rodents had their ears and tails.

"Let's just say we're now hoping against hope that this plan works," replied Zipper.

Then, under his breath, he added, "And we're now hoping that Gadget didn't just jinx the whole thing."

* * *

The stage lights turned on and the emcee padded out from stage left. The batmaid and chipmunk looked/echosounded up at him and the band that was also assembling on stage: a female shrew on keyboards, two male mice on guitars, a male gopher on bass, a female rat on drums, and a male and female canaries on back-up vocals.

"Welcome once again, males and females, to The Nutshell Club! Once again tonight, we have the lovely Clarice Tamiassara, who will be performing a special selection of songs dedicated to all you wonderful couples out there."

Dale and Foxglove suddenly stiffened.

_That_ was the reason why they were brought here!

"So, without any further delay, here she is…Clarice!"

The chipmunkmaid padded slowly from the stage right to the main microphone as the audience clapped and whistled, except for one certain rodent and chiropterid.

It was the first time Foxglove heard and saw her.

"That's Clarice," said Dale, mechanically, "she's an old friend of Chip and me. She came for a visit shortly after…everythin'…"

"Hello, again, all you wonderful mammals and such!" she began, though without as much joviality as before, taking the microphone from the stand. "Thank you once again for coming. Tonight, I want to sing a special song that I want to dedicate to all the couples that are here, but especially…" she glanced down and looked at Dale and Foxglove.

The batmaid was beautiful, but she seemed kind of sad, tired, _pained_—

Quickly, she looked straight ahead at no one in particular, "…to a _certain_ couple."

She placed the microphone back on its stand and added, "You know who you are."

At this point, Dale wanted to find Chip and repeatedly connect his jaw with his fist, while Foxglove wanted to find Otis and give him the worst insult she could come up with:

_"You're mean."_

[ w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=C00ffeNR5zw ]

The music began.

It was a slow song, mellow sounding, depressing almost.

Clarice laid her ears back, and sang,

_"I've gotta take a little time,_

_ A little time to think things over._

_ I'd better read between the lines_

_ In case I need it when I'm older."_ A crescendo filled their ears as she added,

_"…oohhhh—WO, ho!"_ Dale and Foxglove just looked/echosounded at her.

_"This mountain I must climb_

_ Feels like the world upon my shoulders."_ Both winced at that. Their shoulders _did_ feel heavy.

_"Through the clouds I see love shine."_ For everyone else, maybe. But not for them. They had already decided.

_"It keeps me warm as life grows colder."_ Once again, a memory slapped their faces, a memory of what Foxglove told Dale last year in that steeple. Pain once again filled their hearts and throats, and their ears and tails reflected that.

Clarice continued,

_ "In my life!_

_ There's been heartache and pain!"_ And it was true. Clarice had also felt what they felt.

_"I don't know_

_ If I can face it again!"_ Actually, _she_ could. And both Dale and Foxglove _knew_ that _they_, could, too. But they had already decided…

_"Can't stop now! I've travelled so far,"_ From Las Vegas, from a life of obscurity, from a life of clowning around—

_"To change—this—lone-ly life…"_ But their lives had _already_ changed! And for the better, too…right? Lonely? Maybe…maybe…

The rest of the performers chorused with Clarice:

_"I wanna know what love is!"_ Odd, they _already_ knew what it was, and knew so _perfectly_.

_"I want you to show me!"_ Dale stiffened again. Was she referring to Foxglove showing him her love, or _herself_ showing him her love, or _him_ showing either of them?

_"I wanna feel what love is!"_ Clarice was now staring at Dale again, who actually began to sweat at this point. Foxglove, meanwhile, was reminded of the last words that she said to Dale before she left. To feel her love for him…

_"I know you can show me!"_ Foxglove suddenly noticed that Clarice was staring at the love of her life. For a moment, she felt like…doing something to her…but…but she knew she couldn't. Dale was no longer hers. She had no right to feel jealous. Clarice ended the chorus with a calculated moan,

_"Heyyoohhh…!…oooo…"_ The music continued, and the couple on the front table looked/echosounded down at their arm/wing for a moment. Their hearts were getting "holey" again.

Clarice glanced at them, and continued,

_"I'm gonna take a little time,_

_ A little time to look around me."_ They had taken time to look as well. Not much had turned up, except some annoying arthritis. The back-up singers "oo'ed" for a moment, and Clarice continued,

_"I've got nowhere left to hide." _No. They couldn't hide from each other, as much as they tried.

_"It looks like love has finally found me."_ They stiffened again. Were they _truly_ meant to be together? Were they just kidding each other by letting each other go? Or…was Clarice referring to herself and Dale? Or Foxglove and Otis?

_"In—my—life!"_ She was more insistent now,

_"There's been heartache and pain!"_ On all three of them now. Unbearable pain again…

_"I don't know_

_ If I can face it again!"_ They couldn't. It was too horrible, too painful to even be described…

_"Can't stop now! I've travelled so far,_

_ To change—this—lone-ly life…"_ _To change your life, Darling. To change it for good, to make you feel love, from whoever you choose! _Dale and Foxglove continued looking/echosounding at the table as the song chorused again.

_"I wanna know what love is!" Foxy, I do want us to get back together…_

_ "I want you to show me!" Cute Stuff, please, show me that you still love me…somehow…please…_

_ "I wanna feel what love is!" Foxy, I want to feel your love again…_

_ "I know you can show me!" Dale, I want you in my wings again, but…but…_

Clarice then pitched her voice higher, and stiffened her ears and tail, still insisting,

_"I wanna know what love is!" Odd,_ she thought, _they aren't moving at all._

_"I want you to show me!" Something's wrong. They aren't even looking at me!_

_"And I wanna feel,"_ she added.

_"I wanna feel what love is!"_ She extended a paw to them and cried,

_"I know…!"_

_ "I know you can show meee—!"_ Still nothing. This would require drastic measures. Clarice continued,

_"Let's talk about love:"_ She removed the microphone from its stand, and padded off the stage while the singers chorused without her,

_"I wanna know what love is!"_ She placed a paw on their table and sang,

_"Love that you feel innnnside…"_ Yes. The pain in their chests was a sign of _true_ love. And they would always feel it, because they had decided…

_"I want you to show me—!"_ Still nothing. She padded around them, near Foxglove, knowing that the next line would be sarcastic.

_"I'm feeling so much love!" More like tension,_ she thought, moving behind them.

_"I wanna feel what love is!"_ Dale closed his eyes for a moment, and for an instant, he saw the batmaid of his dreams. No. He would never be worthy of her. Especially now.

_"Nooo, you just cannot hide!"_ _I can't hide from you, Cute Stuff. Your sonar profile is always in my ears! You're always with me, and it's driving me crazy!_

_"I know you can show meee—!"_ Clarice moved to another table, apparently giving the patrons a good show.

She called out,

_"Haaaaaah…wo!" _and joined the singers again,

_"I wanna know what love is!"_ Dale and Foxglove were breathing faster, not being able to get enough of each other's scents. This song would have to stop soon.

_"Let's talk about love…!…ohhh…"_ added the male canary. Talk. Yes, they needed to talk.

_"I know you can show me!" _Show? Show how sick they've gotten? To finally show each other _why_ they can't get back together, even if they tried? Clarice continued,

_"I wanna feel it too…"_ She let the singers continue while she continued pushing,

_"I wanna feel what love is!" Dale, Foxglove, can't you see what we're trying to do here?_

_ "…And I wanna feel it too…_

_ And I know, and I know—" We're trying to save your lives, consarn it!_ She joined the last line,

_"I know you can show me!"_ The gopher suddenly added,

_"Coming back for you—!"_ A male mouse squeaked,

_"YEAAAAAHHH!"_ That sudden burst caused Dale and Foxglove to shiver. It was pressing at them, pushing them to initiate some sort of discussion, to talk of something that needed to be put to rest—_buried_—once and for all…

_"Ohhh…"_ sighed Clarice, as she went back on stage again. The singers chorused alone as she set herself up again.

_"I want to know what love is!"_ She chattered at them,

_"I wanna know-ow-ow!"_ She was in pain as well. Pained in seeing two wonderful mammals in such a depressing act of self-destruction. She let the others continue,

_"I want you to show me!"_ One last chance,

_"And I wanna know, I wanna know, I wanna know!" Dale, Foxglove, don't you want fulfilment? Don't you want to live? Please, I beg of you, just look up at each other!_

_"I want to feel what love is!"_ the others chimed. _This isn't working! They're already dead!_

_"And I wanna feel—!"_

_ "I know you can show me—!"_

The music faded, and stopped. Dale and Foxglove would have sighed with relief, but the tension was still there. Their breathing patterns _were_ slowing down, but all their muscles were still locked in place.

Clarice looked at them, "We'll take a little break now. Be right back."

The performers exited stage right, and Clarice went to talk to the other Rangers.

She drooped her ears and tail and cried, "Chip, Gadget, I'm sorry! It didn't work! They—"

"They're just fine," said Otis. "Throughout the song, I heard them shuffling just a little bit. You got to them, trust me."

"We were worried there for a minute, too," added Zipper. "But Otis kept an ear on them."

"Hey! They are starting to talk again!" he whispered.

"Do you want me to sing another song? Just to coax them a little more?"

"Not yet," said Chip. "We'll let this sink in for a minute."

* * *

The chiropterid and the rodent were still looking/echosounding at the table, with black holes in their chests once more. Their ears were up, but stiff, as were their tails.

The song _had_ got to them, and it was time for them to talk, whether they liked it or not.

The batmaid began, though not by conscious choice. _"Dale—"_ her voice cracked again, "I've…I've missed you…"

"I…suppose I've missed you as well, Foxy."

She had trouble continuing, "Dale…I…I…keep…_dreaming_ about you…about _us_…you know…"

He stiffened for a moment. "Well, Foxy, um, every night, uh, I have the same dream with you, too."

A small pause as Foxglove realised just how much he was going through as well.

"It's driving you crazy, isn't it?"

"I…I try not to let it get to me. After all, you're livin' with the bats now, right?"

"Y-yes."

"Have…um, you found any of your family?"

She took a breath, and replied, "No. All of my family is dead. And no animal knows what their names were."

"Oh, sorry to hear that."

For some reason, yet _another_ part of Dale died at this point. Since Foxglove never knew her parents, she never knew her last name. He wanted her to have _his_ name, a precious gift that would be given to her the moment she said "I do", but now, she was forever rootless.

His name would never be hers now.

And while Foxglove knew Dale meant what he said, it held no comforting value whatsoever. Maybe it was the way he was speaking—

"How did your parents take this?" she asked.

"With shock. But it was Chip who took it the hardest, but he's calmed down now."

Both remained quiet for a while, wishing to know what to say next.

Dale then decided to apologise, "Foxy, I'm—"

"It's all right, Dale," she interrupted. "You…you made the right decision. I found friendly bats, and they helped me find a job as an interpreter. I'm…I'm out of danger, like you wanted."

Dale sighed in slight relief. His parting wish had been fulfilled, but at a _very_ high cost:

_Their lives._

Then, he decided to get to the bottom of this present predicament, "Did the bats set you up for this?"

"Yes."

"The guys were in it too, I suppose. They care about us, but…but…they just don't know…"

Another pause, as the horrible memory ran through their heads again.

"Dale…" she trailed off.

"Yes?"

"Dale…you play the bass wonderfully."

It took only one moment for him to realise what she was talking about.

"You…you were here the other night? But…how did you know—?"

"I didn't. My, um, friends brought me here, and I entered just as you started singing."

Dale sat quietly now, looking at the table, ashamed of himself.

"I…I didn't see you. I'm s—"

"Don't be. It was a beautiful song. And…what have _you_ been up to?"

Dale sighed, "The usual. We've been fightin' crime and solvin' cases—"

"I also noticed you've been pumping up."

True, from what her sonar was able to pick up the other night, _and_ by the way she was madly echosounding at his left arm, she had noticed.

"Y-yes, I have. I've changed…plenty of things after you left. I…I'm no longer a Goof-up."

Yes, the Goof-up was dead, as was the Klutz and the Clown and the Comedian.

But there was something else he needed to tell her, and he wasn't sure how to break it to her.

"Um, Foxy?"

"Yes?"

"Remember all those cases I told you about, when I went to outer space—twice—and I ate all that chocolate in the jungle—when I nearly drowned in a sewer—when I found that meteorite—and the times I got zapped by Freddie and some aliens?"

As far as she was concerned, _he_ was the hero of all those cases. But now, she had the feeling that something else came along with being a hero.

"Y-yes…"

"Well, um, I think that all of that is catchin' up to me now."

Foxglove's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure what he meant by that, and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

But something inside her pushed her to ask, "Dale…are…are you all right?"

He sighed, "N-no. I…haven't been feelin' too well lately…I thought it was because I quit all the goofin'-up, but…the doctor didn't think so. I'm havin' trouble workin' out. But it's nothin' serious."

Foxglove sighed in relief. At least he didn't develop a terminal disease or anything.

"Foxy?"

"Y-yes?"

"It…it's not serious," he insisted, "but…I'm glad you weren't here to see me like that, with all my medication. You…wouldn't have liked it. You…you're much better off bein' where you are. I…I know now…that…that we made the right choice."

A pipistrell stiffened backstage.

"Well, Dale, if it makes any difference, I haven't been feeling too well either, I suppose. I get kinda sore when I fly. I suppose—" she choked for a moment, "—I suppose that you wouldn't have liked to hear…er…see me like that, either."

He was suddenly gripped with terror. She was sick, too? It may not have been his fault, but seeing her ill, that…that…

"Will you be okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I think…"

They hushed again.

Supposedly, it was adding up.

"Foxy, I really _do_ want to feel you lovin' me, but…not in this condition. It's not fair to you."

She winced at that, and so did Otis.

_They were breaking up again._

"It's not fair to you either," she replied. "I suppose it _was_ better that we called it off before this came on to us."

"Foxy, I want the best for you. I'm not the best, and I never will be. I'll just have to stick to my job now, and do what I can. I…we…I think we did right."

She thought for a moment, wanting to cry.

But she couldn't cry.

"You _were_ perfect for me, Dale, but…_you_ know yourself better…I guess. I know I'm not perfect either, so I guess it wouldn't have been fair to you, either."

Silence again.

_Foxglove, you were the most perfect female in this universe!_

She echosounded at the ceiling, and also looked at it with pained eyes. "You did right, Dale. Don't hate yourself because of it."

He looked up a trifle, and replied, "I don't. I…just had to kill the Clown that was hurtin' us all. It wasn't easy, but…the team is better off without him. And…I know you are too."

What? He killed the Clown? The Comedian? The one who made her laugh all those times? Did another part of herself die just now?

"You killed the 'Clown'?"

"I had to. Everythin' he ever did only caused trouble for us…for you. I quit all the jokes and stupid comments and the foolin' around. The Goof-up, The Klutz, the Clown, and the Comedian are dead. Segoleh is dead. I changed my name to Dale Hastahah Oakmont."

The chiropterid winced, and even gasped slightly upon hearing about the new personality, of which neither she nor the Dale she fell in love with had a part of.

Half of herself suddenly vanished into thin air, half of herself was suddenly _dead_—

"I've studied cookin', mechanics, stealth, and detection, and…I've become better, I think, but…even if you were still with us, you'd still be in grave danger. I don't want you to live like that. You deserve a lot more than what I could give you."

The batmaid shivered.

He was letting her go again.

"Dale, I—" For a moment, as she tried to recover, she thought she heard her life flash before her ears, as if she was actually _dying_—

No.

She was _alive_; maybe not so well, but _alive_. And as he had let her go, she now needed to let _him_ go, so he could live as well.

She stumbled, "—thank you for thinking of me like that. And…on my own…I've developed my language talents a bit more. You helped me—" another crack, "—by setting me free."

It seemed that all their blood drained from their torsos at this point as they shivered again. It all sounded so logical, and yet—

"Foxy, I was hopin' very much that you would find someone of your family. You've seen how Gadget gets every time she thinks of her parents. I…really…_really_…didn't want that to happen to you anymore. I…_I_ wanted you to have my parents for your own, so you wouldn't have to talk to tombstones like Gadget…erm, have you done that?"

She sighed, "No. But now that you mention it, I might, just as soon as I find out where my parent's graves are. But it's not all that bad, Dale. I've been adopted by…another family…and…I now have a brother and sister…sort of."

Dale sighed in relief.

She _had_ found something better.

"Enjoy your new life and your new family, Foxy. You deserve to. You helped us for a while, and now you can live life free of danger."

She wanted to kiss him so badly, but that robotic tone of his was practically repelling her, not to mention that new _name_…

"Keep rescuing others, Dale. Keep working out. You are very valuable to the Rangers. You are a great friend."

"Let me know if you find someone else. I'll be happy if you love someone who can give you all you deserve."

_Dale, no one could give me more than you!_

"I'll let you know. And…thanks, Dale…for everything. "

This was it.

The final conclusion.

All was settled, and there were no doubts about it.

It was perfectly logical.

And Dale's chest was about to implode with every word Foxglove said.

They sat quietly again, and a few moments later, the batmaid pondered, "They would have made a lovely couple, don't you think?"

"Chip and Gadget?"

"Dale and Foxglove."

The sciurid sighed. Once more his mind explored what _could_ have been.

"Yes," he replied. "They would have been a wonderful couple. They had a lot goin' for them…well, _she_ did, at least. He constantly felt worthless and insignificant. He felt he could do very little as a Rescue Ranger…until she came along. She believed in him, she _came back_ to him, and he got his confidence back, even to the point of wantin' to develop both the Detective _and_ the Comedian. But if he had done that, it would have brought to them very…_very_ bad things later on."

"She loved the Comedian, and else everything about him, whether it dealt with the Rangers or not. He also helped her confidence by believing in _her_, and helping her leave a life of crime, and by finally returning her love. She wanted to also be a Detective and Comedian, to be one with him…[sigh]…it's so sad they had to die."

* * *

Another bat and a chipmunkmaid froze in fear.

* * *

"They were good mammals. They always tried to help others. We'll always miss them…but now…we must move on."

They hushed one more time, and a minute later, Foxglove concluded, "Dale, thanks for everything. Thanks for loving me, and rescuing me. Thanks for taking me back, and…and…thanks…for setting me free."

He sighed again, and also concluded, "Thanks for lovin' me. Thanks for comin' back. Thanks for understandin'. Thanks for not hatin' me or gettin' angry with me. And thanks…for helpin' me see what was wrong with me."

She did not reply for a moment, but finally, the chiropterid slowly stood.

Her joints ached again, for some reason. The medication must be wearing off.

"Thanks…Dale…and…and…good-bye."

The black holes suddenly disappeared.

And both the rodent and the chiropterid stopped feeling anything, good _or_ bad.

Otis and Clarice didn't know whether to cheer or cry or to wag or stiffen their tails or to raise or lower their ears. They appeared to have parted again on friendly terms, but it just looked and sounded so horrible watching and hearing them part like that.

"Good-bye, Foxglove," was all he could say.

With difficulty, the batmaid left the club, leaving the chipmunk by himself.

* * *

Backstage, two chipmunks, two mice, a fly, and a bat did not know if they had succeeded or failed…


	25. EIKOSITREIS — ANOTHER FUNERAL

**EIKOSITREIS — ANOTHER FUNERAL**

"A funeral?" asked Richard. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Richard, Gadget's parents had their funeral. Maybe an owl ate my parents, but they at least deserve some sort of ceremony. Please? Let me just say good-bye to them. I never did, and…that just _may_ be what has been eating at me all this time."

Otis shook his head, "But Foxy, that owl lady might still be in that park!"

"Or she might be dead. It's been twenty years, you know. Either way, it doesn't matter now. We'll go during the day."

If Otis didn't know better, he could swear that she was practically making this a suicide mission. Foxglove's reactions at The Nutshell Club several days ago were very unsettling, even if she and Dale had parted on friendlier terms.

Now she wanted to do this. It seemed natural to attend a funeral, and yet so suicidal to have it near a place where a _known_ _predator_ lived.

Perhaps they shouldn't go alone.

Perhaps this might be another opportunity to do something about her and Dale—

"Foxy, are you sure you don't want to bring the Rescue Rangers along? After all the time they spent with you, they _may_ want to say something on behalf of your parents—"

"No, Otis," she replied firmly. "The Rangers and I have parted our ways. This is not their world anymore. This is _ours_ now. They never knew my parents, and neither did I, so this is something I must do myself, with your help, of course."

"Do you want Richard and me to keep our distance?" asked Rosie. "If that's the way you feel, we don't want to interfere with anything."

"No, no, it's okay, Rosie. You two and the other elder bats are the closest thing to parents that I've ever had, so it would mean a lot to me if you come along."

It was true. That was more or less what Dale wanted: her finding someone else. And she had found others who loved her.

So, she decided that after the funeral she would sneak back to the Ranger's Headquarters and leave Dale her final note.

He, too, must find someone else, and the note appeared to be the only possible way of making that happen. Dale had his life to live, and now she had to live hers, in this cave outside of New Jersey.

It wasn't all that bad; it had all the comforts of a typical chiropterid home, including customised furniture that was bolted to the roof of the cave.

She went to a cabinet and prepared her prescription again.

"Sess, are yew shewre yew wann tew dew theyes? Ah'm worrey'd 'bout yew."

"Don't be, Feyyanna. I'm all right, really." Foxglove took another pill and drank some water.

"Nowe, yew _ain't_!" she finally exclaimed, tail and ears stiffening, trying to knock some sense into her adopted sister. "Yew're dayen'! Ann yew _hayave binn_ dayen' eyver sennse yew'n Dayel splett!"

Foxglove swallowed and echosounded at her.

"Feyyanna, Foxglove is already _dead_. I'm no longer Dale's wife. I am now your sister! And please, let me say good-bye to my parents. Maybe things will get better after that."

Feyyanna calmed down a trifle and relaxed her ears and tail. "Oh, awl raght. But are yew shewre yew'll bay fann ayefter theyes?"

"Yes. I will…maybe…"

The others hoped. They could only hope…


	26. EIKOSITESSARES — ZIPPER'S LAMENT: USE TH

**EIKOSITESSARES — ZIPPER'S LAMENT: USE THE FORCE, LUKE**

Once again, Dale limped outside to look at the sunset. He surveyed the sky in general, and this time, there were dark clouds to the west, showing an occasional flash of lightning.

_Looks like a storm will be comin' in tonight,_ he thought to himself, as a light breeze began picking up.

He turned his attention back to the sun, and tried to look at it without the torment of memories.

It was a natural phenomenon, of course, one that happened every single day, on mostly every part of the planet. There really was no reason why it should be a continuous reminder of what could never be.

Inside, the other Rangers were looking at him through the window, afraid.

Afraid because they saw him beginning to have difficulty breathing, afraid because his medication list had increased, afraid because though the doctor said his most recent tests were inconclusive, they _knew_ he was dying…

Zipper then landed next to where Dale was sitting.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he buzzed.

Dale thought for a moment, and with a sigh, replied with low ears and tail, "You'd think that a guy who forgets things so easily wouldn't have any problems forgettin' _one_ person."

"Dale, she was part of you. You can't forget yourself, so I guess you'll never forget her."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Maybe if I go to a hypnotist and have him erase her from my head this will all finally be over—"

_"No!"_

The sciurid turned a trifle, stunned by the muscid's outburst.

"If you do that, you will _die_! If you kill her within you, you will kill yourself!"

Dale sighed in frustration.

"Zipper, do you still believe that nonsense? All I have is arthritis! And I'm _glad_ Foxy's not here to see me like this!"

"Dale, look at yourself. Do you really think that nothing serious is happening to you?"

Dale did not respond. He knew perfectly well the seriousness of his condition, and he was perfectly satisfied that the one person he loved most was not here to see him this way.

The wind began picking up at this moment, moving some leaves about.

"Maybe if Gadget invented a time machine, we would be able to go back and make sure I never met Foxglo—"

"_Dale_! Listen to what you're saying! And look at what you've done to yourself!"

Dale looked at Zipper with angry ears and tail, "What? _What_ have I done to myself? And why _shouldn't_ I have never met Foxglove? Maybe we all would be better off if I hadn't asked everyone to go see that movie with me! Maybe…a lot of pain would have been avoided…maybe…but look at me now. I'm a better detective, I can cook without burnin' food or breakin' the dishes, I haven't broken _any_ of Gadget's stuff, I can fly _both_ planes _without_ gettin' us caught in the jet stream, I can move with stealth, I can smell better, _and_ I haven't gotten anyone in trouble by playin' Super Spy, have I now?"

Zipper winced at that last phrase.

True, that time Dale got _everyone_ in trouble.

_But the fly couldn't deny that he himself had fun._

_ He couldn't deny that he enjoyed the thrill of the whole thing._

"Zipper, you and the others have bailed me out so many times, you have taught me so much, and now, I can finally give somethin' back to everyone, after all the bad things I've done to you!"

"But Dale, none of this is worth it if you kill yourself in the process! You didn't have to kill the _fun_ part of the rescue! You didn't have to kill the Comedian—"

_"I killed the Klutz! I killed the Clown!"_

_ "And you took the Comedian with them!"_

"The Comedian nearly _killed_ you. Nearly killed us all. _Nearly killed my **wife**! Segoleh deserved to die!"_

More branches began swaying in the increasing wind, also causing his fur to ruffle dramatically.

"But Dale, don't you get it? By killing him, you have killed _yourself_ now, and now you're going to die for good! Trust me; I _know_ what I'm talking about!"

"I _seriously_ doubt that," growled the chipmunk. "Of _all_ people, one would think that _you_ would know when someone is _dead_! And do I look _dead_ to you?"

The fly paused for a moment, wondering how he was going to break this to his friend.

He took a small breath, held it, and fired, "Dale, ever since you came back, I've almost crawled on your face _nine_ times. And the only reason why I haven't is because when I'm about to do so, you suddenly move, or blink, even! Dale, part of you is _dead_! And the _rest_ of you is _dying_! Hastahah didn't replace you, he's _killing_ you!"

Dale turned away and looked at the dark clouds covering the sinking sun.

He laid his ears back again and whispered in pain, "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think that _maybe_ I might miss the Comedian as much as the rest of you? Don't you think that _maybe_ it was the second most horrible decision I had to make? Don't you think that _maybe_ I _want_ to bring him back? But I _can't_! It's _impossible_! I can't bring _anyone_ back from the dead! _And I'm—already—**dead**!_"

A sudden wave of arthritis pain calmed the sciurid down.

"It…it…was somethin'…that you had to be there to understand. You had to be there when I killed him. If you had, then you would know that I simply can't bring him back!"

"Dale, please don't say that! You know nothing's impossible! Maybe if you tell us what happened, perhaps we'll be _able_ to bring him back! Maybe not completely, but just enough to get you _smiling_ again! Please, Dale, we've lost Foxglove, we don't want to lose you, too! Perhaps we can help you find a balance in—Dale? Dale?"

Dale had his ears up, his tail was stiff, and he was unusually silent. The sunset was over, but he was still looking toward the west.

Or, that was where he was facing, for he had a blank look in his eyes.

Then, his breathing became more laboured. Something began pressing in his chest again, but he couldn't tell what it was.

He slowly began to turn back to Zipper, and as he did, his fur began ruffling.

The Stealth Expert became quite scared at that, because he knew it wasn't the wind that was causing Dale's fur to stand on end.

"Dale? Is something wrong?"

Dale brought up his right paw to his chest. Something was causing him unbelievable pain, something within him was sensing—

_DANGER._

Something then began ringing in his brain.

Not in his ears, but within his head, his very soul.

Something was trying to bring back a memory, a _déjà-vu_.

He had sensed this before, but where?

Suddenly Foxglove's voice came to mind. Her voice, her sweet, soft voice, her voice which at many times he could never hear because it was in ultrasound mode—

And he never heard it?

Or did he _think_ he had never heard her sonar?

Or, perhaps, not in his ears, but—but—_inside_ him?

Had he gotten _that_ close to her that he could actually _sense_ her sonar, but didn't know that until now?

No, this was ridiculous. He had never heard it, nor did he ever _know_ when she was using it. Furthermore, he had no idea where she was, though he knew perfectly well that the ringing was coming from the left of the sinking sun, southwest, to be exact, and even if he _did_ know where she was, she would be too far away for him to hear her anyway—

Huh? What? Where did that reckoning of direction come from? Where…where…

He hunched over a little bit, as the pain increased.

And though he tried to fight it, he could not deny that the following was repeating itself in his head:

_PING-PING-PING PIIIIIIIIING PIIIIIIIIING PIIIIIIIIING PING-PING-PING PIIIIIIIIING PIIIIIIIIING PIIIIIIIIING PING-PING-PING PIIIIIIIIING PIIIIIIIIING PIIIIIIIIING…_

Nor could he deny that what was sounding in his head was the International Morse Code SOS signal.

Zipper was panicking, "Dale! Do you need a doctor? Is something wrong with—?"

"Get everyone on the Ranger Plane and follow me!" he finally burst, unable to contain himself any longer. "I'lltaketheRangerWing! Somethin'swrongandsomeone'sintrouble! _Hurry_!"

The tamias then painfully ran to the hangar, as the wind picked up more speed and began swaying larger branches, and as dark clouds moved in above Rescue Ranger Headquarters…


	27. EIKOSIPENTE — NIGHT OF THE STRIGIDÆ

**EIKOSIPENTE — NIGHT OF THE STRIGIDÆ**

A flock of verspetilionids circled a park southwest of New York City: Staten Island. It was still some time before sunset, but they carefully echosounded at the whole area several times, searching for any predators.

It was a rather unusual flock of bats, since they were carrying daisies, magnolias, tulips, and foxgloves on their foot-paws, losing a few petals to the west wind that was beginning to pick up.

"This was the park?" asked Foxglove.

"Positive," replied Richard. "The trees have changed a bit, but the buildings and statues haven't. Also, the foxglove plant is still right there, Foxglove," he pointed to a large plant that was near the centre of the park.

With the area clear of predators, Otis, Foxglove, Feyyanna, Richard, and Rosie landed next to the vine, which had long strands of purple flowers hanging from it.

Still, all of them kept a wary ear open for trouble, and it was of no surprise that all of them remained rather scared.

Rosie held her husband close, as painful memories came to them now.

But that was the way Foxglove wanted the ceremony done.

And it shouldn't take long, or so they hoped.

They took their flowers and padded next to the plant.

It wasn't a tombstone, but it was still the next best thing, since it was directly above it that Foxglove's parents lost their lives.

Foxglove echosounded at the plant. As hard as she tried, she simply couldn't bring this plant to match any memory in her head.

Was this the _right_ foxglove?

Did she even have the _right_ bats?

Then again, how many _other_ bat couples had lost a cub that way?

But again, she _was_ here as a result of the process of elimination, not necessarily because of irrefutable evidence.

That, or her parents had abandoned her.

She shivered as she considered that option, remembering the fake letter Fat Cat sent her. It _was_ a possibility, and yet, all the chiropterids she had interviewed had led her to this. Maybe some of them had lied to her. Maybe…

She quickly put that thought out of her mind. She preferred to have parents who were mercilessly killed than parents who mercilessly abandoned her.

She nodded at Richard, who lowered his ears a trifle.

He began, "Fellow chiropterids, we are gathered here to bid farewell to a husband and wife who perished here. They were unknown, and yet known, for they both now live through the life of Foxglove. We can only hope that both of them were as loving and caring as their daughter is now. Both were brave, and both knew the meaning of love, for they both joined their lives together to create another, and they both gave their lives to save it. May they rest in peace. Foxglove, do you want to add something?"

Foxglove padded up to the plant. She had to admit she felt silly talking to a vine, but it was better than nothing.

After this, she would take Richard and Rosie's offer, and leave Dale her note.

Her ears drooped a trifle as she began, "Mom, Dad, I miss you. I wish I could have known you just a little bit better. I hope you can be proud of me now, because I gave myself my own name, and I survived on my own for a while. I…also…I took the wrong path for a while…but only because I needed friends…and then…then I met the most handsome mammal on this planet, and…and…after a brief battle with my former boss, I renounced evil and joined him and his friends, the Rescue Rangers. During my time with them, I helped and rescued many people and animals…and…and _also_ learned what true love was. Dale—he was my fiancé—loved me so much that he did not want to hear…er…see me get hurt, so he let me go."

She paused. For a moment, it appeared as if she was going to cry, but again, she couldn't.

Otis, meanwhile, kept echosounding at all around him. They weren't taking long, but it sure felt like it.

"I then searched for you, and I found you here. Now, my new bat friends got me a job as an interpreter at the Rescue Aid Society, so I still help other animals and people. I…I was adopted by a brother and sister, sort of. I'm living with the bats now, as you probably did, so…I guess I'm doing okay. I have a touch of arthritis, but it's nothing serious," she lied, and she knew it.

"Mom, Dad, you…weren't the only ones who perished here at the talons of an owl. Others have suffered too, but in my search for you, I was able to give them peace, even though their daughters died. I…I suppose you would be proud of me and of what I've done. Mom, Dad…thanks for saving my life. I…really wish you could be with me…and I miss you."

She placed her foxgloves on the plant, and concluded, "Good-bye, Mom and Dad."

The others then padded up and placed their flowers on the vine as well. To add the final seal, each chiropterid picked up a few pebbles and placed them under the foxglove.

Foxglove stood back at that, and the finality of it sunk in at last.

Her parents were dead.

And in a way, so was she.

The batmaid then turned and left her previous life forever.

The others followed her, padding away from the plant. They weren't in any real hurry, after all, the park wasn't that big, and New Jersey wasn't that far away.

_ Wings flapped._

All five bats suddenly looked up and echosounded at the entire sky, stiffening their ears and tails

A pigeon flew by some distance from them, not an owl. Besides, sunset was barely beginning. Owls _were_ nocturnal, after all—

No, the flapping didn't come from that precise direction, and it _wasn't_ that loud, either.

Instead, it was actually barely audible.

Instinctively, the flock took off and sped toward the safety of the main city.

More flapping was heard, very soft, _too_ soft, and _closer_.

They all madly echosounded all around them, trying to locate the source of the flapping, but they couldn't hear or see anything.

Were owl feathers too soft to effectively give a sonar echo? Did they actually _absorb_ ultrasonic sound waves?

But even if they did, they would be able to detect a "hole" in the return signal, indicating that nothing was there, and yet they would know when the "nothing" had moved.

Then again, that would only work if that "nothing" had something solid in the background, like a building or a tree, or even the ground.

Everyone suddenly echosounded at the darkening sky above them.

Still nothing.

They were barely able to detect the thick clouds, but even if the sky was completely clear, and if an owl was coming at them directly from where the sun was, they would still be able to hear the beak and talons, which would be very difficult for any bird of prey to hide.

They heard neither a beak nor talons.

So they were all right now. Though the sky was now rapidly being covered with storm clouds, they were almost at the edge of the park. They were safe now.

Flapping was heard behind them.

Suddenly turning around, they saw/heard—

Nothing.

Sighing in relief, they levelled off and exited the—

_"STRIGIDÆ!"_

Directly in front of them was the largest owl they had ever heard, diving straight toward them.

A humongous brown female owl, with iridescent brown eyes, a razor sharp grey-brown beak that resembled a staple puller, brown-grey feet with black daggers at the end of each toe, and a wingspan that could rival that of an eagle, swooped out of nowhere, hooting hungrily.

Squealing their lungs out, the pipistrells tried to disperse, but the owl lady flew too fast for them, even for her size. She forced them back into the park by flying in rapid circles above, below, and around them, herding them like cattle. As she did so, she pushed them further and further toward the centre of park—

_Is this how my parents died?_

Feyyanna then began screeching as loud as she could, in ultrasound, "—"

"What are you doing?" screeched Foxglove, also in ultrasound.

"Cawllin' fer _heyelp_! Whayat doss et _sannd_ lakk Ah'm doenn?"

"But we're in the middle of the park! There are no bats here now, and any bat outside the park will still be asleep or too far away to hear us!"

"Yew gatt a _beddar_ ayedeya?"

All the chiropterids then began screeching SOS in various ultrasound frequencies, but Foxglove screeched the following, "Code 936! Code 936! Any units respond to ultrasound alarm 936! Track ultrasonic SOS signals to a park in East Staten Island! Code 936! Code 936!"

"What's all that?" asked Otis.

"They give all RAS members a emergency code list! I just hope they find us!"

"What do you mean 'hope'? Doesn't anyone of the RAS know you're here?"

"Um…no…not really…it never occurred to me to say anything to them!"

"What? You mean we're all alone here?"

"I doubt any small mammal would want to be near an owl!"

"Oh, ######!" cursed Feyyanna.

The bats continued screeching their SOS calls when the owl lady screeched again, _"STRIGIDÆ!"_ interrupting them momentarily, causing them to lower their ears back a trifle.

They all echosounded at her for a moment, in complete terror.

She held them in a position directly above the centre of the park, having them hover between her round-ups.

"It's best if you keep flying, 'cause you'll taste better that way! HA HA HA!" she jested.

Her paused, low, guttural voice resonated in dangerous vibrations within them.

_ Is that the same owl lady who killed my parents? The same one who killed all those other bats?_

"Who are you!" screeched Foxglove, finally, in a frequency the owl lady could hear, and with defiant ears and tail.

The owl lady slowed down her round-ups, but kept her eye on the batmaid, "My name is STRIGIDÆ, LADY AND GUARDIAN OF THIS PARK! No pigeon, crow, sparrow, or swallow dares to cross my domain, much less _imitators_ like _YOU_!"

That last comment threw them off for a moment.

"What do you mean, 'imitators'?" asked Rosie, also with stiffening ears and tail. "What is it that you think we're imitating?"

"You are _imitators_! _Where_ are your feathers? _Where_ are your beaks? You leathered flying mice _mock_ the true avians!"

Foxglove protested, "We're _bats_! We were _born_ this way! We're no imitators!"

"You mock the _true_ birds!" she insisted. "You use leather instead of feathers, you are covered with _hair_, you make _no nests_, you are _phoneys_! Now, you _dare_ trespass my domain, and for that you shall _DIE_!" She continued circling them, hooting in triumph.

"We're _mammals_! Of _course_ we have no feathers or beaks!" replied Foxglove. "But what makes you think we're an insult to avians?"

Strigidæ suddenly hovered in front of Foxglove, and looked into her eyes.

The fact that she had somehow learned to hover was scary enough, as her ears and tail showed, but even more so was looking at one's own horrified reflection in her hateful eyes, and hearing her sinister voice right in one's soul.

"You _eat_ the food of other birds! You eat _bugs_, and leave none for the _true_ birds—!"

"Hey, not _all_ birds eat bugs, do _you_?" asked Otis, also with defiant ears and tail, trying to get Strigidæ's attention away from Foxglove.

Richard added, "We only eat bugs at _night_, when the rest of the birds are sleeping! And those that _are_ awake are _your_ kind, the meat eaters! We steal food from _no one_—!"

The bubo suddenly moved next to him, and with an incredibly fast wing slap, sent the pipistrell fluttering helplessly to the ground.

_"Richard!"_ squealed Rosie, as she and the rest flew down, as the owl lady apparently allowed them to.

Richard was able to recover just before hitting the ground, but nevertheless he landed quite hard.

Rosie landed next to him and held him, while the others remained hovering above the couple.

"Don't interrupt me again, you insolent _vampire_!"

All the chiropterids winced at that insult, as the strigiform continued flying in circles around them.

"My job is to rid this world of parasites like _you_! You are nothing but flying _mice_! And you _know_ that I love mice, and the fact that you have wings just makes the hunt much more interesting! It's been a while since I've had such a delicious looking buffet like _YOU_! _A HA HA HA HA HA!"_ The bubo continued flying around them, hooting sinisterly.

All the pipistrells were scared to death now, with low ears and tails, not knowing what to do.

Richard slowly stood, with a wing to his head, having recovered a bit more.

Then, Feyyanna's ears and tail perked up, as she remembered something she had heard back in Texas: Strigidæ was rounding them like _cattle_, but since there was only _one_ of her, she hoped, then they just might be able to—

Speaking in ultrasound again, she said, "Awl raght! Ayt the kewnt uff threeye, evvreywann flaye _opp_ enn sepp'rett dureckshuns!"

The bats then hovered, bracing themselves, with Richard and Rosie beginning to hover a few moments later.

Feyyanna waited until Strigidæ made a horizontal sweep, leaving the sky free.

"Wann…tewe…_threeye_!"

Suddenly, the five chiropterids shot upward in five separate directions and spread out.

The strigiform was completely incensed by that, _"NOOOOO! STRIGIDAAAAÆEEEEEEEEEE!"_ and she flew after the bat nearest to her: Otis.

Otis turned around and heard the owl lady speeding straight toward him. Panicking and laying his ears back, he flapped his wings as fast as he could, but Strigidæ was catching up.

_Is this what a moth feels just before it dies?_ he thought.

But just before Strigidæ sank her talons into Otis' back, he remembered a trick that some moths played on him. Suddenly, Otis dove downward, looping upside-down momentarily under his pursuer, causing Strigidæ to overshoot him.

The owl lady was distracted for a moment, having suddenly lost her prey. She then began pulling up to start another attack, when suddenly she saw in front of her—

_ A tree._

Hooting in rage, the owl lady painfully pulled up higher, trying to at least avoid the trunk, and she hoped to get through the branches. Closing her eyes and pulling her wings in, she shot through them all right, but with plenty of scraping and bruising. Emerging from the treetop like a cannonball, with feathers, leaves and twigs trailing behind her, the avian extended her wings again and glided for a moment, trying to shake away some of the pain from her head. Then, she opened her eyes, reddened with rage, turned, and saw Otis again.

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_ she hooted again, beginning a much faster dive.

Otis heard her and began zigzagging around the park, trying to slow her down by flying near trees, bushes, vines, fences, and some statues.

But Strigidæ knew the park well.

It was _her_ park, after all.

Once again she was going to sink her talons into Otis' back—

—when Foxglove suddenly flew in front of both of them, and aided by her tail membrane, hurled a scoop of dirt straight into the owl lady's eyes.

Strigidæ hooted in pain. She couldn't see, she couldn't hover, and she couldn't land. All she had left to do was fly up and up in circles, trying to shake the dirt off her eyes and head.

Otis perked up his ears and echosounded at Foxglove for a moment, and then asked, in surprised ultrasound, "Where did you learn to do _that_?"

"From a movie I saw with Dale once! Now let's get outta here!"

"Pick up more ammo!" screeched Rosie. "One shot won't hold her back for long!"

The pipistrells thusly swooped to the ground, picked up dirt in their tail membranes, and shot toward the edge of the park.

Richard was lagging, however, due to his injury _and_ due to the ever increasing wind.

Strigidæ, meanwhile, above the centre of the park, having shaken most of the dirt from her eyes, tried to focus on the verspetilionids below her. She saw them approaching the edge of her domain, but she focused mainly on the one who threw the dirt: Foxglove.

Knowing when to hold her tongue, the strigid silently dived right toward her.

Though an owl's feathers are designed to allow them to fly with stealth, Foxglove and the other chiropterids were still able to hear the sound of the dive behind them above the wind, which was howling through the trees now.

Foxglove waited a moment, preparing to throw the dirt again. She then turned—

—and the owl lady was not there.

"Huh? Where did she go?" she asked.

The other bats also turned around, and did not see nor hear Strigidæ anywhere.

Echosounding madly again, they scanned the whole area, but she simply was not in their sonar range. They turned back again—

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

And the owl lady in front of them threw _stones_.

Foxglove took a direct hit on her right shoulder.

Otis took a direct hit on his head.

Rosie took a direct hit on her left side.

Feyyanna was able to dodge the stones, but not without slamming into Richard, who was on her right.

All the verspetilionids dropped their payloads, and fluttered painfully to the cement. They were all bleeding, save for Feyyanna and Richard.

"I can play your games, too!" hooted Strigidæ, flying down to them.

Feyyanna, Richard, and Rosie fell in a heap, with Foxglove and Otis some ways to their right, due to a sudden gust.

Strigidæ landed and walked up to Otis, picked him up with her talons, and flung him to the pile. She then walked up to Foxglove and did the same.

All the bats laid still, half-conscious, unable even to lick their wounds.

Walking victoriously toward the mammals with an arrogant swagger, and with the wind sinisterly ruffling her feathers, the avian hooted, "You really think I'm stupid, don't you? You really think I'm some sort of deranged fowl who is completely _crazy_? You think I'm _unreasoning_? _Unintelligent_? Completely incapable of learning _anything_ because of my supposed _insanity_?" she paused for a moment, letting some thunder rumble dramatically in the distance.

"I am a _GUARDIAN_! I _guard_ this park! I guard it from _parasites_! And now I can feast!"

She grabbed Foxglove again, looked at her hungrily, and opened her razor sharp beak, ready to cut her head off.

However, since she had picked up Foxglove, she had removed the obstacle that was holding Feyyanna down. She was the least hurt of them, and when she echosounded up and heard the owl lady about to eat her sister, she did what any self-respecting loving relative would do:

She laid her ears back and suddenly jumped on Strigidæ, slapping her wings on her face, and squealing insanely.

That caused Strigidæ to drop Foxglove, but one moment later she whacked Feyyanna to the cement, nearly knocking her out.

"Okay, you want to be first? _FINE_!"

She grabbed Feyyanna now, and was about to bite her—

—when this time, a net fell over her.

_"RESCUE RANGERS AWAAAYYYY!"_ chattered a chipmunk above them, with another sciurid, two murids, and a muscid yelling their battlecry a short distance behind him.

Besides the wind practically drowning all sound now, the bats were too stunned to hear the noisy Ranger Wing and Ranger Plane above them until the last second, and the owl lady was too concentrated on her prey to even notice the aircraft behind her.

_"…Dale…"_ moaned Foxglove, opening her eyes and looking and echosounding up at her Rescuer, her Goof-up, her Klutz, her Clown, her Comedian, her love, her only one.

How Dale was able to find them was something he would never know. All he knew was that someone was in trouble, in _deep_ trouble, and that Foxglove was possibly that one.

It was almost as if the pain in his chest served as a homing device that led them to this park in Staten Island.

And he knew that the pain had something to do with it, for a sharp jolt shot through his right shoulder just moments before they arrived, even though nothing had actually hit him there. Or maybe some debris had blown in his direction and he didn't notice it until after it hit him. Or, perhaps, he was being guided by ultrasonic sensing abilities he didn't know he had, or even perhaps by an Unseen Hand.

But whatever the means, he had found her, and her new "family", as he deduced the others to be.

The others on the Ranger Plane were horrified when Zipper told them that Dale had suddenly and inexplicably taken the Ranger Wing and headed southwest. They had no idea where they were going or why, so all they could do was hope that Dale had not snapped.

Gadget had even considered jumping over to the Ranger Wing and disabling it, forcing Dale to land, but the increasing wind and the thunder in the distance made that idea sound not-too-good. She was about to launch grapplers at the Wing when they arrived at the park.

"It's Foxglove!" chattered Chip, above the wind. "I don't know how he did it, but Dale found Foxglove!"

Hope was again raised in the Rangers, hope that maybe this would settle the Comedian Issue once and for all, hope that maybe all of this would help Dale and Foxglove see what they had done to themselves—

"And it looks like she and 'er bat friends need 'elp!" added Monterey.

Zipper sounded his bugle call, and they all yelled the Rescue Ranger battlecry, with stiff ears and tails all around.

Both aircraft landed on opposite sides of the chiropterids, and the Rangers jumped out to help them.

The strigiform, meanwhile, hooted in rage and tore at the net that was holding her.

Zipper then grabbed a rope and began wrapping it around the owl lady.

Chip, Gadget, and Monterey ran to get the pipistrells on the planes, and Dale was about to do the same, but he noticed that the bubo was tearing though the net now.

So, he jumped back on the Ranger Wing, loaded the back gun, and fired a plunger harpoon straight into the owl lady's right eye.

He then grabbed the rope and ran toward her, preparing to wrap it around her as well.

Strigidæ hooted in rage as suddenly half of her vision was cut off. "Miserable mice! _I WILL EAT YOU ALL!"_

She continued struggling and tearing at the net and ropes, when Gadget called out, "Dale, Zipper, get out of the way!"

They both turned and saw Gadget having turned around the Ranger Plane, pointing it at the owl lady. Dale and Zipper jumped/flew to the right, and Gadget pulled down a lever.

Another net shot from the nose of the Ranger Plane and fell on Strigidæ.

Struggling to poke her head out of both nets, she hooted, "_You'll be sorry you messed with STRIGIDÆ!"_

Suction cups don't stick too well to feathers, even when lined with superglue, but it was surprising to Strigidæ that the plunger would not come off. She gave it a really hard yank, and nearly pulled her eye out. She saw feathers stuck to the plunger, incensing her even further.

When the strigid finally managed to pull her head through the net, Richard, Rosie, and Otis were already on the Ranger Plane, licking their wounds, with Gadget hastily dressing them.

Chip and Dale then picked up Feyyanna while Monterey picked up Foxglove, who was having trouble licking her bleeding shoulder, and they took them to the Ranger Wing.

It was going to be a tight fit, and they would need time to take off, because both aircraft were almost overloaded. Monterey began dressing the bats' wounds while Gadget and Dale activated the motors.

Strigidæ continued to tear through the nets and ropes, but by the time she was halfway free, both planes were on the air, heading back to Rescue Rangers Headquarters.

Since the Ranger Plane had a balloon and carried only five passengers, it was able to fly higher than the Ranger Wing. Still, Gadget flew behind Dale, just to make sure he didn't go berserk again.

But it seemed that they were all safe now.

The pain was gone, practically.

Dale struggled to keep the Ranger Wing level with all the wind gusting around him, and he was just about to clear the park—

—when he saw Clarice below him, running _into_ the park.

_"…Clarice…"_ he gasped, fear gripping him once more.

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

All turned and saw/heard Strigidæ, with pieces of torn net and rope around her neck and talons, flying straight toward them, and making a dive for the heavier Ranger Wing.

Gadget looked below her—

"Oh, no!" she cried, finally seeing the chipmunkmaid. _"Clarice!"_

* * *

On the ground, Clarice heard Strigidæ's battlecry. She looked up and saw both planes, and the owl lady as well. Instinct set in and she immediately lowered her ears and tail, whirled around, and dashed back to the edge of the park, on all fours.

On the Ranger Wing, Zipper moved to the gun and fired the last of the nets back at Strigidæ, but the owl lady saw them coming.

And just as she dodged the nets, lightning flashed, enabling her to see another animal below her, running to the edge of the park.

_"Ah! More rodents!"_ she hooted in delight, changing her trajectory and making a straight dive for Clarice.

When Dale saw that, he wanted to scream, but something jammed the scream in his throat.

Zipper knew he could not fire another plunger dart without risking hitting Clarice.

Dale knew that too, so his paws were tied as well.

Gadget knew that as well, but she _also_ knew that the owl lady _didn't_ know that _she_ had incredible aim.

Just as Strigidæ was about to clamp her talons on Clarice, grappler jaws closed on both of her wings, destabilising her. The strigiform hooted in pain and pulled at the ropes and tried to climb, destabilising the Ranger Plane, but not before one of her talons swiped Clarice's back, tearing her dark blue blouse and nearly tearing her backbone as well. Her light blue skirt remained intact, fortunately.

The chipmunkmaid stumbled and fell, rolling a few times before finally stopping next to a bush, unable to move due to the pain and shock.

Gadget fought to keep the craft level, but the owl lady was too strong, and the mousemaid felt the plane beginning to spin.

_This time, however, there was no bubble gum to interfere with the grappler controls._

She yanked on a lever, and the grappler ropes detached from the plane.

But she couldn't regain control.

All the occupants of the Ranger Plane screamed as it plunged downward.

The ropes wrapped themselves around the owl lady's wings, causing her to fall as well.

The wind tossed the Ranger Plane into a bush, popping the balloon and effectively rendering it useless, while Strigidæ fell on the dirt about one metre away from Clarice.

_"…Gadget…"_ said Chip, with the name nearly choking in his throat.

Dale then banked and landed the Ranger Wing between Clarice and the downed Ranger Plane. He jumped out and ran toward the downed chipmunkmaid.

Monterey and Zipper jumped/flew off and ran to the Ranger Plane.

Just before Chip jumped off, he told the batmaids, "Foxglove, you and your friend stay here! We'll get the others, and prepare for a tight fit!"

* * *

Dale, meanwhile, had reached Clarice.

Her blouse had a big tear on the back, and he could see the scratch on her hide bleeding now. It wasn't too deep, but it looked very painful, and it made him lay his ears back.

"Clarice! Can you get up?"

She looked at him for a moment, unable to raise her ears or tail, and replied, "Well, darling, it looks like that's something I _have_ to do now, doesn't it?"

Wincing, she slowly stood, as Dale steadied her.

Foxglove looked and echosounded at that action.

She saw and heard Dale gently leading Clarice to the Wing, and as her ears drooped, she suddenly realised that she no longer felt jealous.

Or, more correctly put, she no longer felt _anything_.

Her emotions were gone now, save the instinctive one of fear and terror because of the owl la—

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

Just as Dale and Clarice were about to get on the Ranger Wing, the owl lady hooted again, and she charged at them. Dale then picked up Clarice in his arms, and ran off to a bush with her chattering in pain, leaving Foxglove and Feyyanna in the Wing.

For a moment, Foxglove thought that Dale had finally abandoned her.

_ …abandoned her to her fate…_

With an injured shoulder, she would not be able to escape.

Then again, Dale already had his paws full with Clarice, and she knew he could not rescue everyone at once, only the one closest to him.

Her ears drooped even lower.

This was it.

She would have the same fate as her parents.

She would die at the talons of an owl.

Oddly enough, she realised that she actually _wanted_ the owl lady to end it all, to end this whole business right here and now, to end this miserable life she had been living and which was now not worth a gnat's wing—

One-half second before Strigidæ hit the plane, Feyyanna jumped, grabbed Foxglove's shoulders, and flapped as hard as she could, and with the help of a sudden gust, she lifted both of them to safety, temporarily, at least. Since she was not used to carrying as much payload as Foxglove did, and the fact that her head and neck still hurt terribly, she was quickly pulled down, and both fell on the ground again, with Foxglove squealing from the pressure applied to her injured shoulder.

Strigidæ, meanwhile, smashed into the Ranger Wing, snapping its wings and tearing the motors from it.

_Both_ aircraft were useless now.

The owl lady's attention remained on the plane, however; her rage had made her temporarily forget the edible targets around her.

Chip, seeing that, ran to help Foxglove and Feyyanna while he left Monterey and Zipper to take care of the others.

* * *

The Ranger Plane was useless. Besides having its balloon popped, one wing had snapped as well.

Its occupants were slowly regaining consciousness, but they were all still alive, which was an immense relief to Monterey and Zipper. He first looked at his best friend's daughter, who had her right goggle lens cracked and she appeared to be bruised around her right eye as well, but no other damage was evident.

Monterey first proceeded to help Otis, who was nearly unconscious, when once again his ears perked up as the owl lady's battlecry rang through the storm:

_ "STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

The owl lady was now tearing at the bush in which Chip, Dale, Clarice, Foxglove and Feyyanna were hiding under.

And there was no place left to run or fly without being totally uncovered for at least four metres, enough space for Strigidæ to snatch her prey.

Monterey saw that, and he told the others, "Wait 'ere. I'll go 'elp the lads!"

He jumped off the Ranger Plane and ran to the Ranger Wing, with Zipper following.

* * *

Under the other bush, above the howling wind, booming thunder, and the hooting owl lady, Dale was scolding Clarice, "Whatthe######doyouthinkyou'redoin'hereandhowdidyoufindus?"

Foxglove winced a trifle when she heard the curse. The Comedian she knew hardly ever swore, much less so nastily, even under such stress.

_ Was he truly dead?_

"Itookthesewers!" she gasped, her back still in great pain, but matching his stiff tail and ears.

"What?" asked both males.

"When you're a celebrity, you learn to make a swift getaway! I got to the tree when I saw everyone taking off and I tracked you from the sewers! It's quite simple, really, once you know your way around, it's almost like taking the subway!"

That response did not make much sense.

Hastahah chattered again, "And just how, pray tell, were you able to track us if you were underground and we were three hundred feet in the air?"

Clarice looked angrily into his eyes and explained, "Well, if you must know, it kinda helped that you were only flying in one direction _and _I just happened to surface on the right storm drains at the right times to make sure you were still flying toward this place, but I kinda lost you when you were coming down, but it's not as if your plane is invisible to all other animals, and just so you'll know, I have a friend who's a former paparazzi, and she taught me everything she knew precisely to fight _back _at the paparazzis!"

Dale's face took a stunned take for a moment, but only for a moment.

"Andjustwhythe######didyoucomehere? This is a very dangerous mission as it is and we were almost finished until _you _came along! We can't even get bandages to wrap you up now!" chattered an angry and deceased Comedian.

"Well, I _was _going to invite you to another night at the club, but if you really want to know the real reason why I tracked you down is because all I wanted was to be with _you _STOOOOPIIIIIIID!"

Dale reeled at that statement, and even laid his ears back.

She _had_ come back.

And come back to _him_.

_Three times._

Because she _truly_ loved him, as Foxglove did.

She risked life and limb to be with _him_, also the same way Foxglove did.

_ Why couldn't anyone realise that if they continued to love him they would get tremendously hurt, or worse!_

Foxglove, meanwhile, had heard enough chipmunk chatter before so that she was able to decipher the previous conversation without problems. Clarice's last statement, however, almost brought jealousy out from her again, and her last insult actually made her feel like defending her male somehow.

But again, she knew Dale was no longer her male.

Clarice was more beautiful than she was.

Clarice was a _chipmunk_.

Clarice was what Dale needed.

Clarice was the one Dale needed to find.

Dale _needed_ Clarice.

Dale _had_ found someone else, or more exactly, someone else had found Dale.

Their previous life was now truly over.

Once this was all over, she would give him her note, tonight, if possible.

_She_ was now letting go of Dale—

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

The owl lady was halfway through. "No plant has ever stopped The Guardian from her dinner! _STRIGI—OOOOOOOFFFFFFFFF!"_

Her battlecry was abruptly cut off, for her talons were suddenly knocked from underneath her, and she now lay on her right side.

"That's 'cause Monterey Jack Colby was not around to stop you!" squeaked the Aussie behind the owl lady, holding a piece of wing from the Ranger Wing, with his ears laid back and his tail tensed.

Zipper then began buzzing all around the owl lady's face, trying to get her more distracted and disoriented.

Strigidæ then swung her wings all around her, but she could not swat that annoying fly.

* * *

Over at the Ranger Plane, Gadget saw what her father's best friend was doing. She then turned back to the verspetilionids and tried to help Otis stand, but a quick calculation made her realise she would take too long.

"Chip! Dale! I need help over here!" she squeaked, trying to make herself heard above the storm.

"Yore frenn's cawlenn fur heyelp!" relayed Feyyanna.

Chip had to think fast.

"Clarice, from what storm drain did you enter?"

"The drain is next to the sidewalk, that way!" She winced and laid her ears back as she pointed toward a spot on the sidewalk, some twenty metres ahead of both downed planes.

"Takethebatsoverthereand_don't_comeout! We'llhelpGadgetandMontyandwe'llberightwithyounow_run_!"

The males then ran to the Ranger Plane while the females ran to the sewer. Well, they didn't actually run, since all three of them were heavily injured, so they had to help each other limp toward the sidewalk.

The batmaids had Clarice between them, with her arms around each of them for support, and to help them keep their wings closed, due to the ever-increasing wind.

But as Feyyanna continued sounding her SOS signal, Foxglove couldn't help but notice that Dale never touched her all the time he was with her.

So, with limp ears and tail, she simply continued sounding the RAS call.

* * *

Chip and Dale arrived at the Ranger Plane.

"We've got to follow Clarice! She'll take us to the sewers where we'll be safe—_Gadget_!" chattered Chip, lowering his ears, when he saw her sporting a black eye. "Are you okay?"

"Never better!" she replied, as she tried to stand from the pilot's seat while reaching for her trusty plunger harpoon.

As she did, a horrible squeak shot out of her throat.

_"My arm!"_ she finally vocalised moments later, with low ears and tail.

All three rodents looked at her arm.

The right coverall sleeve was torn, and her pelt had a deep gash in it. Her left hip was also in pain, but not as much as her arm was.

"Chip, take my plunger-harpoon!" she exclaimed, nodding toward the weapon on the floor of the craft.

He did, and they then helped her out of the Plane, and proceeded to help the other chiropterids.

No time to lick wounds just yet.

* * *

Strigidæ, meanwhile, was now back on her talons, and she was looking at Monterey and Zipper with hungry eyes. Doing so, she was facing away from the aircraft and the escaping mammals.

With pieces of ropes and nets flapping all around her, she examined the rodent in front of her, almost as if she was looking at a menu.

Lightning flashed again.

"Hmmmm, you're a juicy rat, all right!"

_"MOUSE!"_ squeaked the Aussie.

"You both taste the same anyways! Perhaps I'll just eat you and maybe one chipmunk, and save the rest for tomorrow, mayb—!"

"Oof!"

The owl lady turned and saw two chipmunks, one mouse, and two bats some distance away from her, struggling to get to the sidewalk despite all the gusts pushing them to the side. Some had bandages around them, whipping in the wind like flags of surrender.

One bat had apparently fallen and "oofed" in a frequency she was able to hear above the storm.

She then saw two more pipistrells and another tamias already at the sidewalk.

_"Nooooooo! My dinner's getting away! STRIGIDÆEEEEEEEEEE!"_ She then turned fully and prepared to fly again.

* * *

At the storm drain, Foxglove called again, "Code 936! Code 936! Any underground units respond!"

"Wheyere the ###### arr yer RAS frenns, ennywayss?" asked Feyyanna, getting more and more desperate.

Suddenly, both batmaids heard a response echo its way up to them, "This is Underground Unit Five responding to an Ultrasound Code 936! We have a fix on your position! ETA is…five minutes!"

Foxglove screeched, "Send ærial recovery units and medical teams for rodents and chiropterids! We're being attacked by a deranged—!"

_"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"_

Clarice's chattering scream suddenly interrupted Foxglove. The chipmunkmaid, of course, did not hear what the bats were saying, so she was looking at the others who were coming, and then she saw Strigidæ suddenly turn and fly straight toward them.

With her scream, however, all the mammals looked/echosounded up and saw/heard the avian above them, and about to swoop down on the second group. All ears and tails laid low and stiffened.

Right then, however, a piece of Ranger Wing wing slammed on Strigidæ's head, causing her to fall again.

The group scattered just before she hit the ground, and she tumbled several times before stopping, face down, and with her head bleeding, but they immediately reassembled and continued toward the storm drain.

Strigidæ turned, however, and looked back at Monterey, who now grabbed another piece of wing.

The owl lady slowly stood; her rage now totally out of control.

Her final choice was this fat mouse.

"Okay, fatso, you asked for it!" and she began walking toward him, spreading her wings and clacking her beak, with flashes of lightning all around her. But the gusts didn't seem to even budge her, not even with her spread wings.

"Go a'ead and try it!" growled Monterey, still with stiff ears and tail. "I once wress'led with an African vulture back in Zimbabwe, an' I left that bloke featherless!"

"Vultures are _garbage collectors_!" she hooted. "_I_ am a _GUARDIAN, I AM STRIGIDÆEEEEE!"_

"And I'm 'Monterey' Jack Colby, Rescue Ranger! _RESCUE RANGERS AWAY!"_

"And I'm Zipper Lightringer, Rescue Ranger! _RESCUE RANGERS AWAY!"_

The mammal, the insect, and the avian slowly walked/padded toward each other.

* * *

At the storm drain, Chip chattered, "Monty can't handle that owl lady by himself! Dale, you and I will go help him, everyone else stay here! Let's go, Dale!"

As the rodents left, Rosie, with perked up ears, had apparently made contact with another chiropterid in the distance and was speaking to him in ultrasound, "_Yes_, we're in trouble!…Fly over here _now_!…_Yes_, there's an owl over here, why do you _think_ we're in trouble?"

More thunder interrupted her, causing all the verspetilionids to wince and cover their ears.

"Get all the help you can, including a medical team!…_NO, WE DON'T HAVE NO TEN ###### MINUTES!"_ she exclaimed, stiffening her ears and tail.

She then turned to Foxglove and calmly explained, "I suppose that bats in general aren't as well organised as the RAS!"

* * *

Monterey rolled up his sleeves, and Strigidæ jumped, ready to pounce on him.

At that moment, Chip laid his ears back and fired a plunger, hitting Strigidæ square on her tail.

The owl lady's eyes widened like never before, and she hooted in a _very_ high pitch.

Just as she came down, she covered her tail with her wings, and was about to turn to see who had done to her this humiliating act.

That was all the distraction Monterey needed, so he swung the piece of wing, and knocked the wind out of her.

The owl lady doubled over with an immense "OOF", and Monterey swung again, whacking her face with a crack that was heard even with all the howling wind and booming thunder.

The bubo fell on her side, with a cracked beak.

"Monty, run!" chattered Dale.

"Our job 'ere's over, mate," he told Zipper. "Let's skidaddle!" He dropped the wing, and ran to the storm drain with the others.

Strigidæ slowly came to her senses, as she felt a few heavy raindrops fall on her body.

She turned, and had trouble focusing on her dinner, which was running off toward the sidewalk.

She had been defeated by _mice_, by _rodents_, by _parasites_, by her _prey_, by what she only knew as _food_.

_Food_ had outsmarted her and overcome her, and now, she was left on the ground, out of breath, out of strength, and now, out in the rain.

* * *

The rodents and chiropterids slowly climbed down the sewer opening, and the dipterid simply flew down, just as the rain began.

The injured ones had great difficulty doing that, so it was sometime before they were all inside and limping next to the foul-smelling river on their right.

When Monterey finally placed Gadget down next to the rest, everyone breathed sighs of relief and relaxed their ears and tails, if not just downright drooped them.

The owl lady was defeated, and though they were heavily injured, they were still alive.

Gadget, after discreetly licking herself, had torn what was left of her sleeve and used it as a makeshift bandage on her arm, so her bleeding was stopped.

She and Feyyanna then took Clarice aside and tended to her injury with bandages she'd hastily snatched up from what was left of the Ranger Wing.

It was here when the heavy downpour finally began, echoing and resonating all over the sewer, along with the immensely loud thunder, which had the chiropterids wincing and covering their ears again, while the others also did what they could to groom their own wounds.

A few painful minutes later, Clarice pulled her torn blouse over herself again, but kept her left paw pressed on the bandage on her back. She then looked at the others, and she too felt relief, along with fatigue.

Chip then looked at her and asked, a trifle loudly, "Well, you know your way around these parts! Which way do we go now?"

"Downstream!" she replied, slowly padding up to Dale and leaning on him for support.

Too tired to even speak, they all slowly began limping to where Clarice was leading them, back to safety, they hoped.

Foxglove noticed again that Dale was holding Clarice steady—much the same way Feyyanna was steadying her—_and_ that he had his own paw over her injury as well.

No jealousy overcame her, though, because she knew Clarice was more injured than she was.

She was about to comment on something, when the rain intensified.

The pounding of raindrops and the continuous thunder made the pipistrells feel uneasy because downpours of this kind were _very_ noisy to them, and it was very difficult to tune out the ultrasound noise along with the electrical explosions, so they avoided flying in this type of weather.

They slowly continued on their way down the sewer, and it wasn't too long before the rodents began feeling uneasy as well.

Something wasn't totally right.

They all looked/echosounded around the darkness about them.

The tunnel resonated eerily from the heavy rain and thunder and the splashing of the water coming down into it, and the river beside them flowing faster and faster and with more and more water—

Suddenly all the bats uncovered their ears, stiffened them, and screeched, _"WHAAAAATT?"_

"What what?" asked Clarice, turning to them in alarm.

Richard then relayed what they were hearing in ultrasound, "Code 304! Code 304! This is Underground Unit Five sounding a 304! _All_ units clear the sewers _immediately_! Major cloudburst in progress, flash flood warnings are sounding out from upstream! All units clear the sewers _now_! Code 304! Code 304!"

Ears were laid back and tails stiffened again.

"We've got to get outta here!" chattered Chip.

They looked and echosounded all around them, but all the exits were practically waterfalls now.

Gadget made another quick calculation, and squeaked, "From the intake and absorption rates, this tunnel will be flooded in four minutes and 49.5 seconds, unless the rain suddenly stops, which is highly unlikely, since cloudbursts generally last—!"

"A side tunnel!" moaned Otis, waving a heavy wing to an opening up ahead. "I don't hear water coming down as heavily from there!"

Clarice chattered, "That's because that's a drain that picks up runoff from the middle of the park! If we go in there, we'll emerge back in the park with that crazy owl lady!"

"We can't go any other way!" chattered Dale.

"Too roight! But even so, I left ol' Striggy out of commission out there! And e'en if she _did_ recover, she must 'ave looked for shelter already!" added Monterey.

"We have no choice!" chattered Chip. "We have to get out through there!"

With what little strength they had left, the group shuffled faster to the side tunnel, and made their way to the first storm drain as quickly as they could.

When they got there, a waterfall was already forming, so Monterey climbed up first to help the others. When he emerged, he looked around for the owl lady.

All he could see was gusting grey rain all around, soaking him to his hide, whipping and pushing down his whiskers, ears and tail.

It was dark now, and the park lights were on, but that didn't help much, even with the lightning flashes.

It was also a trifle difficult to breathe with all the humidity and all the rain whipping and splashing back up to him, but he figured that if he couldn't see, hear, or smell the owl lady, the owl lady would not be able to see, hear, or smell him, either, though he wasn't sure in which part of the park he was since he couldn't see the remains of planes anywhere.

Finally, he called down, "All clear, mates!"

Zipper flew out first and had to perch himself on Monterey's shoulder. Being a fly, the rain hit him hardest, and he felt it almost like boulders smashing on him, so Monterey's head and leather helmet helped shield him somewhat.

It was very difficult to get Gadget, Clarice and the bats out; they were practically swimming up a waterfall. But with Chip and Dale hoisting them up in a relay, and with Monterey pulling them outside, it was accomplished, finally.

Chip and Dale were the last ones out just as the main sewer overflowed, and by now everyone was drenched, and all had limp ears and tails.

"We'd better get home fast or we'll get hypothermia!" squeaked Gadget, trying to make herself heard above the cloudburst.

"Other bats called in and said they would help us!" screeched Rosie. "I just hope they're able to detect us!"

They weren't that far from another sidewalk, so they padded toward it as quickly as their fatigued and injured bodies allowed, with Clarice and Dale in the lead again, all remaining close in order to counterbalance the occasional wind gusts.

As they did, Foxglove echosounded all around, trying to get her bearings, but she couldn't hear or smell anything specific because of the unbelievably heavy wind, rain, and thunder.

She then took a deep breath and screeched her lungs out in ultrasound, causing the other chiropterids to wince a trifle.

"Hey! Yew doen' hayave tew _yeyell_!"

"But the owl lady could still be out here! I was trying to make a sounding!"

"Foxy, _none_ of us can hear a _thing_ with this storm!" screeched Richard. "And if we can't, then neither can that owl lady, _if_ she's still out here!"

So, they continued to limp and struggle toward the sidewalk.

The verspetilionids still tried to echosound their way, it was instinct, after all, but all they got was "static".

Finally, they were at the sidewalk. They stopped there, trying to figure out how to cross the street and the rivers that ran along its edges.

Moments later, Chip chattered, "All right, this is what we'll do! We'll need everyone to grab hold of everyone else, and we'll have to make a dash to the other side, as quickly as we can! I know we're all tired and hurt, but we can't relax until we find shelter! All I ask is that you give it your all just one more time, and then we're home free! There's no traffic right now, so I don't think we'll get interrupted! I'm going to see where the water is narrowest!"

Chip turned and padded to the edge of the sidewalk—

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

For one brief moment, Chip wondered how the owl lady that swooped in front of him was able to fly, not only with wet feathers, but also with all the rain weighing her down as well, not to mention all the wind—

Reflexively, Chip fell back and was able to dodge Strigidæ, almost.

Almost, because one talon _did_ made a deep gash on his right thigh, causing him to chatter in excruciating pain.

_"…Chip…"_ squeaked Gadget, almost inaudibly.

Chip also hit the back of his head on the sidewalk, and that caused him to drop the plunger-harpoon.

"Gotta _fly_—" moaned Richard.

Strigidæ then hovered a bit, and prepared to move herself back on Chip so she could sink her talons into his body—

Richard suddenly kicked Strigidæ's face, stunning her again. As she backed down, Richard grabbed the lapels of Chip's jacket and tried to ascend as another gust blew, but the avian slapped him down again, smashing both mammals on the cement.

The owl lady opened one foot and—

A stone bounced off her skull, and then another.

Strigidæ turned and saw Rosie bending down to pick up another missile with one wing while pressing the bandage on her side with the other.

So she decided to fly after her.

When Rosie heard her, however, she was also about to take off, but just as Strigidæ spread her wings, _another_ plunger dart stuck to her face, right on her beak.

This time, it was Dale who had picked up the plunger-harpoon when the owl lady had been distracted.

As Strigidæ struggled to pull the final plunger off her cracked beak, Dale tossed his empty weapon to Clarice, charged at Strigidæ, jumped, and gave a double-paw blow on the owl lady's face, nearly knocking her over.

Taking that as their cue, Monterey and Zipper also charged the strigiform.

As Zipper tried to poke Strigidæ's eyes, Monterey squeaked, "Gadget luv! Get everyone outta 'ere _now_!"

The mousemaid had no time to ponder on the sacrifice her three friends were doing, though her chest connected with her throat at this point.

As the two rodents and the dipterid began pummelling the owl lady, Gadget, Feyyanna, and Rosie helped Chip and Richard stand, while Foxglove helped her adopted brother.

Shuffling as fast as they could, they were about to jump off the sidewalk—

Strigidæ finally yanked off the plunger dart when she saw her prey escaping yet again.

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

A back-wing sent Dale reeling behind the owl lady.

An incredibly fast upper-cut-and-hook combo punch sent Monterey and Zipper to a puddle one metre from her.

Dale, however, jumped back on her and sank his incisors on her left wing.

The bubo hooted in pain, and with unbelievable rage, gave another wing punch right on the tamias' red nose.

With feathers and blood in both his mouth and nose, Dale fell off the owl lady, nearly knocked out as horrible pain seared through his snout and upper jaw.

Chip, meanwhile, had recovered just enough to see that last action.

He saw his best friend on the ground, and the blood on his face and the fact that Dale's nose appeared to have shifted a bit reminded him once again of Rocky Balboa.

He wanted to say with a gruff voice, "Your nose is broken!"

And Dale would ask with a slurred voice, "…'ow's it look…?"

And he would reply, again with a gruff voice, "Ahh, it's an improvement."

But no.

Neither Chip nor anyone else would ever hear any movie quotes from Dale ever again.

Strigidæ turned and was about to kill Dale right there and no one could do a thing to stop her—

The plunger-harpoon smashed itself on her head, causing even more bleeding.

The weapon shattered and the pieces fell off the avian down to the sidewalk.

Dale stopped looking at his now slightly crooked and bleeding nose when he heard:

"Hey, you _stoopid_ owl!"

Strigidæ slowly turned, and saw Clarice standing in front of her, with her injured back to the park, struggling to keep her balance with the sudden gusts blowing around her.

"_Yes_, I'm talking to _you_, you miserable _vulture_!" Her ears and tail were as stiff as steel. The sciurid then kicked water at the strigid, sending waves of pain up her own back.

Strigidæ was now so infuriated that any hint of logical reasoning was now completely replaced by pure rage and predatory instinct at this point.

Clarice continued her insults as she backed off into the park, "Why don't you come and get _me_ now? Come _on_! You think you're so _bad_? Just _try_ to eat me now!"

She kept on kicking water at Strigidæ, and as she padded off the cement and into the mud, she reached down and threw some of it at the owl lady as well, trying to ignore her horrible pain without much success.

"Come and get me, you buzzard! Everyone tells me I look delicious, why don't you find out for yourself?"

Clarice thought she saw other animals on the other side of the street, but the rain was still too heavy to make them out.

She didn't have time to, either.

* * *

Dale, meanwhile, could not believe his ears.

Clarice was taunting the owl lady away from _him_ and was practically killing _herself_ in order to save his life—

This had gone far enough.

He would make sure he did _not_ receive this kind of attention, or affection, anymore.

He painfully stood and—

_ "STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

The owl lady took off once again.

Clarice laid her ears back, turned, and ran on all fours as fast as she could, no matter how numbingly painful it was for her. She was running toward a hole in the base of a tree ahead of her, but Strigidæ was too swift.

Since Clarice kept glancing behind her, she _knew_ when to lay flat on the mud, making Strigidæ overshoot her.

Immediately, Clarice turned and ran again to another tree, away from Dale.

The avian turned as well and made another dive.

Once more, she opened her talons and was ready to sink them into this chipmunkmaid—

Otis suddenly flew across her and swooped Clarice off the ground.

Why he had suddenly decided to do this was something he would never know.

But fuelled by panic for Dale's friend and rage against that lunatic avian, Otis decided to ignore his head injury, his limp ears and tail, the unbearably heavy rain, the wind gusts, the lightning, his flailing head bandage, and his own safety, to try to save her.

Her sudden weight almost knocked him unconscious, as he felt his brain was almost yanked to his foot-paws.

And with the rain, his payload was now some _four_ times as much as he had ever carried before, and all the wind made his flying _very_ erratic.

Clarice was nearly knocked out as well, as his sudden yank sent a huge shock of pain all down her back.

Strigidæ, naturally, turned against Otis again, and this time, _nothing_ was going to stop her.

* * *

Dale saw all of that happen in just a few seconds, and during that time, which to him was an eternity, he felt completely helpless. His leader was down, all the personnel were almost out of commission as well, and he himself was barely conscious and had run out of ideas.

Foxglove, meanwhile, had also heard her adopted brother do that crazy stunt, which almost reminded her of Dale's old antics. She knew Otis could not fly fast enough to reach any kind of safety, much less with Clarice hanging below him, as well as all the rain weighing him down, and she, too, was out of ideas.

_"…Otis…"_

Dale suddenly turned and looked at her.

She turned and saw him, too, and heard him as well.

They were standing right next to each other.

And they looked/echosounded into each other's eyes—

And saw/heard—

_ Nothing._

The spark within them was gone.

_Dead._

Even their handsome and beautiful features appeared to have died, too.

All they saw and heard was drooped ears and tails, matted fur, bleeding injuries, cracked bones, and sunken and glazed eyes.

Their scents had also been altered by the rain, not to mention the adrenaline and the first stages of hypothermia.

The woody/nutty/bubble-gummy/chocolaty scent was dead.

The night-misty scent was dead.

She saw, heard, and smelled a wet and wounded chipmunk.

He saw and smelled a wet and wounded batmaid.

And nothing else.

Dale was dead.

Foxglove was dead.

_It was all over._

And then, from out of the grave, the tiniest spark lit up in Dale's eyes.

Their friends needed help _now_.

And that spark surfaced through a memory that had been suppressed and relegated to the deepest and darkest corner of Dale's mind; a memory that he considered cubbish, as well as dangerous, since it originally came from the random mind of a random Goof-up; from a plan that had been made unexpectedly and instantaneously, and hence, hazardous to everyone's health, despite the fact that it had actually worked in defeating evil before.

But there was no other choice now. They _had_ to save Otis and Clarice.

With a dramatic lightning flash and wind gust, the faintest spark of randomness from within Dale surfaced as he painfully spat out some blood, stiffened his ears and tail, and sinisterly repeated himself:

"Now it's time to play _hardball_."

Otis couldn't fly fast enough, much less in a straight line. He was out of energy, his bandage had fallen off, his wings felt as if they were going to fall off, his consciousness was unstable, his head was going to explode, and unless a miracle happened right now, he and Clarice would fall, if the owl lady didn't catch them first.

When he heard Strigidæ right above him, he braced for the end.

The bubo slowly closed her talons around the pipistrell, but she was only able to slightly gash his sides.

A chipmunk suddenly fell on the owl lady's neck, and though he couldn't get a chokehold, the way he was hanging on was destabilising her.

Furthermore, another bat, with very stiff ears and tail, was somehow flapping randomly above her, creating air pockets around her wings and making her lose her lift, and was very much succeeding where the wind had failed.

Otis and Clarice almost fell, but he continued flying, trying to reach a bush or a tree.

He then heard, "Hang on! We're coming!" in ultrasound, though very weakly because of all the wind and rain and thunder.

He echosounded up, and was barely able to detect more chiropterids heading his way. Though he was now bleeding from his sides, he caught his second wind and flew erratically toward the edge of the park.

_"STRIGIDAAAAAÆEEEEEEEE!"_

With one final burst of energy, Strigidæ shot upward, shaking Dale off her back. Her wet feathers were too slippery, but he then suddenly grabbed a piece of rope that was still tangled around the owl lady.

The strigid felt the yank, but it only took one nip from her beak for the sciurid to fall again.

Foxglove was quick enough to catch him before he accelerated too much.

"Now what?" she asked, trying to keep her ears from drooping, and trying to ignore the unbelievable pain in her shoulder, which increased as she continued moving it; the bandage having long fallen off as well.

The rain kept pushing her down, along with Dale's heavier muscles, and with all the wind gusts, she had to draw strength from who-knows-where just to hold her position.

Dale then looked up and saw Strigidæ _still_ climbing, obviously about to make one final dive for Otis and Clarice: the _coup-de-grace_.

"Climb!" he painfully chattered, spitting out more blood and shaking the rain from his eyes, and also trying to keep his ears up. "Climb, climb, **_CLIMB_**!"

Strigidæ difficultly reached the desired height of her dive, and looked down.

A lightning flash showed that the other bat and chipmunk were gone, and all that was left was the first bat and chipmunk, who were descending and headed for a tree.

Her rage was now totally beyond measure.

She started her dive.

A lightning flash enabled Otis to see her, and another gust helped him make an about-face, to try to shake her off.

Too late, Strigidæ was already locked on her target. She turned as well, and her dive accelerated.

As she closed her talons over Otis again, her hoot of triumph, her battlecry, rang above the storm:

_ "STRIGID—!"_

Foxglove had dived on her as well, almost mirroring the owl lady's attack angle.

Right before the batmaid collided, she somersaulted and flung the chipmunk toward the owl lady.

Dale then raised his arms, and right as he came down on Strigidæ, he smashed his elbows on the back of her neck.

And as Foxglove righted herself, she connected a double-kick squarely on Strigidæ's head, right when Dale hit her.

Both of them effectively broke the owl lady's neck, and cut off her battlecry.

Strigidæ flapped her wings awkwardly, but Dale was still clutching at her neck. She was out of control and falling fast, she couldn't lift her head, she couldn't glide, she couldn't slow down, she fell, fell, fell—

The shock of the kick sent Foxglove reeling as well, and she, too, fluttered to the ground, though not as fast as the owl lady.

Dale was hanging on for dear life, though he knew it was futile.

He would die with the owl lady, but at least his friends were safe, and no one would have to be hurt in anyway because of him anymore—

_ —because the curse would die with him, finally._

Strigidæ fell.

Dale fell.

Foxglove fell.

Otis fell.

Clarice fell.

_ And darkness fell on all of them…_


	28. EIKOSIHEX — THE DEAD AND DYING

**EIKOSIHEX — THE DEAD AND DYING**

The pounding of heavy rain, weighing down all ears and tails…

The roar of heavy rain…

The howling of the wind…

The random flash of lightning that filtered through heavy eyelids…

The crack of thunder above…

The scent of water and mud below…

The feel of mud and wet fur all over…

The taste of dirt, water, feathers, and blood…

The shivering as hypothermia continued to set in…

_ And pain…_

So much, in fact, that they could feel every single raindrop smashing painfully on their bodies, as well as the resounding booms of the thunderclaps, not to mention each involuntary muscle twitch as their bodies quivered.

Dale, Foxglove, Otis, and Clarice slowly opened their misted eyes.

Dale raised his sore head a bit, painfully spitting out some feathers, mud, and blood from his mouth.

Foxglove coughed out some water, sending shocks through her right shoulder and five other joints as well.

Otis' consciousness faded in and out for a moment, before finally settling in.

Clarice would have normally liked cool water over her injury, but right now, the heavy raindrops were getting _very_ annoying.

Slowly and with great pain, all turned and looked/echosounded at the owl lady, who was lit by yet another flash of lightning.

She had her feet up in the air, her wings at her sides, and her head quite plastered on the cement, with rainwater washing away the blood that was flowing from it.

Strigidæ's right foot twitched momentarily, and then it went limp.

The Great Strigidæ, Lady and Guardian Of The Park, was dead.

She had fallen headfirst on the cement path, near the edge, and Dale had been thrown down to the mud next to the cement.

Dale slowly stood, with his ribs grinding within him, as well as all his muscles protesting, and with the rain washing away the mud and blood from his body. He fought to keep from moaning, besides trying to keep his consciousness on-line as well.

Foxglove had fallen on the cement next to the owl lady. She could only use her left wing to stand now, though her chest muscles were now completely powerless. Her right shoulder, left wrist, both knees, left ankle, and neck screamed messages of injury to her brain.

Otis had fallen with Clarice some distance away, but still on the cement path. He slowly bent over and licked his sides for a moment, and stood, also with his pectorals out of commission. He almost fell back down as a sudden dizziness overpowered him. He fought it, and almost lost, and then focused on the chipmunkmaid next to him.

Clarice now had scraped knees and right elbow. Her back was very much killing her, or at least assaulting her. She too, stood, with Otis' help.

And all looked/echosounded at their deed.

Dale and Foxglove, panting exhaustedly, looked and echosounded at each other, and felt ashamed.

The Husband and Wife would have never deliberately killed another creature, even to save another.

Both were truly dead.

_But even with the Comedian and the Clown gone, _they realised, _danger was still all around them…_

Otis painfully padded toward Dale and Clarice toward Foxglove, with more wind gusts nearly knocking them over.

The others were coming behind them now; all with limp ears and tails, all being slowed down by increasing arthritis and the onset of hypothermia and the wind, and all were completely incredulous as to what had happened.

Otis wasn't too sure of what to make of this. It was certainly not the first time he had seen and heard death, but it _was_ the first time he had seen and heard someone impose it. And the fact that it had been the sister he loved was a trifle more than what he could fathom.

Clarice had plenty of moments in her life where she actually _felt_ like killing someone, but she had enough sense to always hold herself back. And because she knew that the chipmunk she loved was a crime fighter, she had previously tried to convince herself that this came with the job: killing the bad guys as a last resort. She had seen plenty of movies to support that theory, but now, seeing it actually happen in front of her had left her totally numb.

_The male she had fallen in love with was capable and willing to take another life, in the name of justice, or survival, at least._

She did not know what she felt about Dale anymore, or so she thought.

Chip was speechless. The Comedian he knew would have never done this. If so, then the Comedian truly died back at Fat Cat's lair, when Dale threatened to kill the feline kingpin if he tried anything else against Foxglove.

He knew, he _finally_ knew, that the Goof-up and Klutz and Clown and Comedian they all knew and loved was gone forever, and this final action threw the switch, signed the death certificate, and sealed the tomb.

He looked at the most beautiful mus in the world again, who happened to be supporting him because of his massive leg injury.

Her beautiful headfur _still_ looked beautiful even when it hung in soaked strands.

Her ears were still cute even though they hung limply on the sides of her head.

Her pained blue eyes were as loveable as ever.

The eyes looked back at him.

Gadget _never_ considered killing to be a logical option, not even as a final one, even when she herself felt such fury and it was possible that they—that _she_ may have pushed Dale into doing this, after all they pain that they—that _she_ caused him besides the fact that the owl lady tried to kill them all but she must have had her reasons as illogical as they may have been, in which case they could have sent a larger team here and subdued her somehow and then taken her to a mental institution or someplace where she could be helped, or detained, at least, and if they couldn't then there _had_ to be another way but now it was too late because a life was lost so all of them could live and she couldn't do anything about it and what pained her most of all was that _this_ was the life that she had chosen, _this_ is what it meant to be a Rescue Ranger, _this_ was the life that awaited her family—

She looked at the most handsome tamias in the world.

He was right.

There was _no way_ she wanted her cubs to live through _this_.

Monterey, with a swollen and bleeding face, came up holding Zipper on his shoulder, who now sported a small crack on his right facial exoskeleton. And both could not believe that Dale actually had it in him to do something like this. This was something they expected from RamDale, a pre-fabricated personality, but never from Dale's own heart.

But he _had_ killed the Entertainment Expert, _and_ the Goof-up, _and_ the Klutz, _and_ the Clown, _and_ the _Comedian_.

Hastahah had killed Segoleh.

This was just a culmination of all the previous executions.

Dale was most definitely dead.

Feyyanna, Richard, and Rosie came up last, with all bandages gone now. They, too, saw and heard what happened, and they didn't know how to feel. Seeing and hearing Foxglove suddenly take off with Dale hanging from her foot-paws, despite her injury and the heavy rain, was shocking enough, but this…_this_…

The pipistrell couple wondered if they should feel proud now that all of the other chiropterids who were killed by that owl lady were finally avenged, by a daughter of a victim, nonetheless.

But they didn't feel happy.

They felt _scared_.

Would other owls hear of this and try to take vengeance on _them_ now?

As they approached the dead owl lady, some mice of an RAS medical team ran up from behind them, as well as another flock of bats.

Dale painfully padded off the mud and back on the cement, and limped toward Otis, wincing as several ribs ground together within him, highlighting the pain in his upper snout.

Foxglove limped toward Clarice, with her right wing hanging uselessly at her side.

Otis saw and heard a muddy and bloody chipmunk, with sunken eyes and cheeks that almost reminded him of a skull.

Clarice _knew_ Foxglove was beautiful, but now, she looked too much like some characters in some horror flicks she saw a while back…

"Otis, please take care of Foxy! She's _very_ special, and she's great and everythin'…perhaps…you deserve her more than me!"

Even speaking was incredibly painful for Dale now, with his upper jaw almost numb from the horrible pain. And his voice was slow, hoarse, almost as if he were speaking from beyond the grave.

The rain, wind, and thunder weren't helping much, either.

Otis took a moment to register what Dale said, and took another moment to reply, "Dale, don't say that! You two just risked your lives to save us! That…is saying _something_!"

They had to speak loud enough to make themselves heard above the rain, but even their vocal strength was rapidly fading.

"I know! But I can't take her back, not now, not ever! It's all over between us! It's all gone now!"

"Dale, you _need_ to get back together! You will _die_ if you don't! And she will, too!" Otis almost fainted from his dialogue exertions.

"Otis, I died the night she was kidnapped! I'm not Dale Segoleh anymore, I'm Dale Hastahah!"

The bat wasn't too sure what the chipmunk meant by that, but he knew that it couldn't be anything good.

Meanwhile, the batmaid finally met the chipmunkmaid.

"You're Foxglove? Pleased to meet you, honey!" she was finally able to say, despite the present circumstances, as she tried to stop her body from quivering.

"And you're Clarice!" she replied, also quivering. "I hear you're a good friend of Dale's! Please don't think of me as rude, but I can't shake your paw right now! All my joints are killing me, just like the rest of my body!"

"Foxglove, don't talk that way! I'm sure you will recover if you and Dale just—!"

"Clarice, we can't get back together! It's too late now! You, however, seem like someone he could like very very much!"

The chipmunkmaid sighed, "Foxy, I love Dale too, yes, but I also know when someone loves him more than I ever could! You _need_ each other, Foxy!"

"We _need-ED_ each other, but it's all over now! We've changed too much to even try to get back together…we…realised that the other night! And tonight…well…we were confirmed of that!"

"Because you killed a deranged and murderous owl?"

"Because we killed a _living creature_, Clarice! I have never felt so much anger at one animal…ever! She…she _did_ kill my parents…but it wasn't just _that_! Even when she threatened to kill us, I never wanted to kill her, until everything just started happening so fast and…and…that's when I knew…that Foxglove was _dead_!"

Clarice had to think fast.

She had to save them _both_ from self-destruction, but what—

"Say Foxglove, if I could get you two back together, will you promise me to be good to him?"

"Clarice, that can't happen! We've already talked, and…it's impossible!"

"But have you tried _all_ the options?"

"What else can we try? There's no way we can resurrect our old selves now!"

Clarice sighed, and then lowered her voice so only Foxglove could hear her. Not that it mattered, because all the present weather was drowning them out to the point that even Otis could not hear them. Also, all throats were getting hoarse from all the yelling.

Even their beautiful and soothing voices had been destroyed.

"Have you tried…?"

Foxglove echosounded at her, uneasy. "No…! But…how can that work if it didn't work on _me_ before?"

"We'll try a different approach! And if it fails, I myself will pay for your funerals, your _real_ funerals! You two are dying _now_, and only you two can save each other!"

It finally hit her.

Foxglove felt like crying again, but now, she knew _why_ she couldn't cry.

This time, though, the rain appeared to help a bit, as it washed her eyes, along with everyone else's.

The faintest spark in _her_ eyes now lit up, still very weak, though.

Her ears twitched a bit as they tried to perk up, "Clarice, I love him so much…I _want_ him back! What you're suggesting may be very far-fetched, but…but…Clarice, I'm _dying_! We're _both_ dying! Please, help us!"

The chipmunkmaid smiled. "Wait, then, until we recover a bit! You'll need to get _all_ of your strength back in order to do this!"

They all turned and limped back to the others, and no one knew if they were quivering from nervousness, fear, hypothermia, sudden imbalance brought by the wind, or all of the above.

Dale and Foxglove crossed paths one more time.

They looked/echosounded at each other as they did.

Sadness.

Despair.

Hopelessness.

_ Death._

And yet, one glimmer of faith, of hope against hope, within one certain chiropterid…

The groups parted, with Richard, Rosie, Foxglove, Feyyanna, and Otis padding toward the other bats, and Clarice and the Rescue Rangers padding toward the RAS medical team.

Both groups parted ways and painfully padded out of the park, with arthritis coming back on them with a vengeance as it was highlighted by the hypothermal shivers, as the rain continued pouring down on them…


	29. EIKOSIHEPTA — THE DEAD AND DYING: SWANSO

**EIKOSIHEPTA — THE DEAD AND DYING: SWANSONG**

Dale was in The Nutshell Club.

_Again._

He was sitting at a table right in front of the stage, with a thimble and a bottle of walnut extract in front of him (the bottle having been originally part of a small spice rack for humans).

And he appeared to be rather depressed about something.

It wasn't the fact that his upper torso still had a brace to keep his ribs immobilised (though his dark grey shirt was concealing it well), or that he had a strange looking brace on his snout.

The fact was that he had been practically dragged to this place, _again_, at the insistence of all of his friends.

His only companion was currently an orange-pink nightingale who wore a lavender Chinese shirt with a matching hat.

"Not enjoying youah-self, ahh you?" asked Chirp Sing, with his slow and paused Chinese accent.

"Not much to enjoy, if you knew myself as much as I did," he replied coldly, staring into space. The pain in speaking had left a few weeks back, but it was still just a trifle uncomfortable.

"You ahh still upset about dat…incident with de owl lady, Friend Dale?"

The rodent hushed for a moment, looked away from the paseriform, and replied, "I…suppose I am. But I'm more upset because you came here expectin' a weddin', and…well, we couldn't give you one. Chirp, I'm sorry you came all the way here for nothin'."

"Well, I will let you know dat on my way heah, I _did_ heah de news of de…postponed wedding. And all de moah reason I did hurry. When Friend Chip told me what happened, I just could not leave without helping a friend first."

"Thanks, Chirp, but…I'm afraid there's nothin' you can do to help. The weddin's off, Foxy and I broke up, we're feelin' _very_ miserable right now, and…you're stuck in the middle of it. And…of course, there's the owl lady."

Chirp sighed.

"Look, I knohh you feel upset, but no one is blaming you."

Dale just downed another thimbleful.

"Even de New York Strigiform Council is not blaming you. Did not Friend Chip tell you?"

Dale sighed, "Yes, he told me."

"I mean, you ahh practically a hero to de Council. Strigiday was an owl lady with twisted views concerning predators and prey, and she even attacked othah owls foh disagreeing with hah. After hah expulsion from de Council, she had _owls_ foh-a-enemees!"

The chipmunk put his thimble down, "Look, Chirp, I heard all about her background, and I even got a Thank You letter from the Strigiform Council, but that _still_ doesn't make me feel better."

The nightingale leaned closer and insisted, "Friend Dale, de owl lady was a menace to both predatah and prey. She ate only _half_ of what she caught, which included othah owls! She was insane!"

"Then we should have helped her, somehow!" exclaimed the mammal, flashing angry and slightly glazed eyes at the avian. "We should have rescued her from _herself_! We…we…_I_ failed as a Rescue Ranger…_again_."

The luscinia replied calmly, "You weahh not de only one going against de owl lady, Friend Dale. And you _did _manage to rescue Friend Foxglove, and de others as well. Perhaps you did not rescue all of dem, but you _do _knohh now dat Strigiday was beyond help. And you _also_ knohh of how much trouble she caused at de mental institution in Albany."

The tamias looked down for a moment.

Even with all the information Chip managed to find out about Strigidæ, it still was not enough to comfort him.

"I shouldn't have killed her. I didn't want to. I mean, am I the only one who regrets this?"

"It seems dat de others regret dis as well. And de Strigiform Council is not exactly having a party ovah dis, Friend Dale. But, according to dem, you did predators, prey, and de States of New York and New Jersey a public service. And you did not exactly hurt deahh pride, eithah, because it _did_ take ten prey to kill a predatah. Friend Dale, it was _she_ who insulted de Strigiforms' honoh, by hah words and actions, _and_ by taking de Strigiday name for hah-self."

Chirp cocked his head and pondered aloud for a moment, "Den again, with a name like 'Ima', I am not surprised she decided to change it—"

Dale shivered when the concept of "name change" was thrust in his face again.

"Chirp, please," he said, rather sternly, and looking at him likewise.

"Sorry."

They both hushed for a moment, as Dale poured himself another thimble and looked blankly into space again.

Chirp spoke again, "Deahh is something else, is deahh not?"

The mammal said nothing.

"Friend Dale, an old Chinese proverb says dat rejecting love can be hazardous to youah health."

_Oh, great, here we go again._

"So can being a klutz, Chirp. I can't put Foxy or the Rangers through that anymore. Didn't the others tell you why I did what I did?"

With urgency in his eyes, the avian replied, "But Friend Dale, you did not mess up dis time! You did what you had to do to save youah friends, _without_ fooling around. It may have been a last resort, and _I _am certainly not happy about it, but you _rescued_ youah friends!"

"Sure, but I've never had to do that at the expense of another life before, have I?"

"Friend Dale, dis was only _one _event!"

"No! Don't you get it? I was _about_ to do it the night Foxy and I broke up! I'm…I'm a monster. I can't have someone I love be in constant danger. That's why I let her go, and why I killed the Goof-up and the Klutz and the Clown and the Comedian…and Segoleh."

Chirp Sing remembered what _he_ thought about himself just before he met Dale and the Rescue Rangers. That was certainly something he could relate to.

"No one is proud of what happened. But even now dat you have quit being a Goof-up and a Klutz and a Clown and a Comedian, danjah nevah left you, oh hah. Danjah will always be with you, and hah as well. I mean, do you knohh how much danjah _I_ went through just to get heah?"

"Chirp, I _know_ that. But that's not the only reason I did what I did. I'm also afraid of what will happen to my cub and grandcub…later on…"

"You worry about de futah without knowing what it is, Friend Dale?

"Trust me, Chirp, I _know_ what it is. And…I know you went through a lot yourself, but what's upsettin' me right now is that you did it all for nothin'…kinda like Foxy and me."

"Oh, I do not knohh. I came to see a wedding, and dat is what I am going to see befoah I leave."

"If you're referrin' to Foxglove and me, you're in for a disappointment. Chirp, _nothin'_ can get us back together. Not even love. I mean, I love her to death, but there's just no way that it can happen."

Dale looked blankly into the distance.

"Not now, not ever."

"Den why did youah friends bring you heah?"

"Because they're goin' to try one last time to get us back together, and they took advantage of you happenin' to arrive at this very convenient moment to try to convince me as well to get back with her. And it's not goin' to work because Foxy and I already decided."

This sciurid seemed to be a trifle smarter than the last time the turdid saw him.

"Realy? Ah you shuah Friend Foxglove is not going to try anything?"

Dale looked down a trifle, "Nothin' she tries will work. Nothin' has, and nothin' will."

"Den maybe you ah in foh a surprise, Friend Dale."

Dale said nothing…

* * *

Just inside of stage right, Foxglove stood quietly by herself, scanning the stage. Several weeks had passed since that horrible night, and most of that time they had spent it in the hospital.

That was the worst Fourth of July she had ever been in.

She had hoped that this year would have been the first Fourth of July she celebrated with her husband.

She had hoped of having a huge outdoor celebration as well.

Instead, she had to spend it indoors; and what was worse, her new friends also spent it indoors so they could be with her, to "comfort" her in these rough times.

No, she did not need comfort.

All it did was hurt others and rob them of their precious time.

They had been released only two days ago, with her sore throat gone and her pectorals back on line, but her joints still ached quite a bit, and her ears would still not perk up.

It would be a while before she would fly again, for her right shoulder, left wrist, and both knees were still wrapped with bandages, though her neck was free of braces thanks to the chiropractor.

But then, she wasn't sure if she _would_ fly again.

She had finally realised that both Dale and she were deteriorating fast and sinking more and more into depression.

And even with all the medication, she knew that their time was beginning to run out.

Now, this last attempt to win back the love of her life was all she had left. It all seemed so impossible, even though she had read the lyrics and rehearsed the songs over and over.

They were very intense, but would it be enough to get through Dale?

"Ready?" asked Clarice, coming up behind her.

For a moment, Foxglove was startled because she did not hear her until the last moment.

"Huh? What? Um, yes, I think…"

"Hey, Foxy, don't worry. You rehearsed the songs excellently. You're going to be great!"

Foxglove looked and echosounded into her eyes and asked, "Well, you and the others sing great, too. But Clarice, are you sure this is going to work?"

Clarice gently placed her right paw on her uninjured shoulder. Her eyes welled up a bit, her ears drooped, and her tail twitched as she replied, "Foxy, I _know_ it's going to work…because…because…_I_ was going to sing that song to Dale, _and_ the other two in case the first one failed. But _you_ love and need Dale more than I ever could. That's why I gave these songs to you, and in the order they're in: the first is the mellow one, to set up the mood. The second is a bit more lively, and it _really _goes deep. And if that one fails…the third is the doozy," she grinned.

Foxglove scanned her new friend, and sighed, "Thank you, Clarice. Whether this works or not, thank you. If it does, wonderful, if not, well, I won't be surprised. But still, thank you."

Clarice felt a touch of panic at Foxglove's fatalism.

Fortunately for her, Chip padded up, slowly, because his right thigh was still bandaged, "Foxy, we're doing this for you and Dale. You need this. Please don't lose hope."

She looked and echosounded back at the stage—her eyes were now slightly glazed—and looked and echosounded at the most handsome chipmunk in the world.

Pain began forming inside her chest once again.

In all the rehearsals she and the others did this past week, she seemed so _lifeless_ when she sang the songs, even with all the others backing her up, including Clarice.

Maybe it was because they had done some of the rehearsals at the hospital…

But with all the changes both she _and_ Dale had gone through, she truly doubted that this was going to affect him in any way.

She then turned to Richard, Rosie, Otis, and Feyyanna, who were also backstage, as well as the other Rangers.

"We'yere awl heyer fer yew, Sess."

"Too roight! Whatever 'appens, we're right behind ye, lass!"

"If it almost worked on _you_, it will work on _him_," added Otis.

"Dale's in for a big treat!" buzzed Zipper.

"Hey, _I_ wish I had heard this song when I was dating Rosie!" said Richard.

"And with the orchestrations we prepared, it should work with no p—"

Everyone gasped again, and all tails stopped moving.

This time, Gadget was quick enough to hold her tongue. She blushed a trifle, and corrected herself, "I mean: 'without incident'."

Everyone sighed in relief.

"Just go out there, and sing right to his heart. We know you'll get him," added Rosie.

Foxglove echosounded at them all for a moment, and replied disturbingly weakly, "Thanks. Thank you all."

She then turned and echosounded at the audience, and sighed…

* * *

The emcee came up from stage left again, and as he did, the turdid said, "I will leave you alone with youah thoughts foh now," and he stood and hopped away, leaving the sciurid by himself.

Dale wasn't too sure what Chirp meant by that, nor was he enthusiastic enough to find out.

The emcee announced with low ears and tail, and a slightly serious tone, "Hello, once again, all you males and females, to The Nutshell Club. Tonight, we have a very special number for you. The lovely Clarice Tamiassara is with us one more time, after a near-death encounter, I might add."

The audience hushed and laid their ears and tails low with that serious surprise.

"But, I'm glad to say that she's all right and she's back with us to delight us once again with her wonderful voice."

The audience, though not all of it, cheered and clapped at that announcement.

"Personally, I'm thankful that she's fine because not only did I almost lose a performer, but a good friend as well. She has something special planned for us tonight, and I'm not sure what it is because she refused to tell even me! So, here she is one more time, the lovely…Clarice!"

The male squirrel helped the chipmunkmaid pad slowly up from stage right, for her back was still a trifle sore.

Her white dress concealed her back injury very well, though, and her fur had grown back a bit on her knees and elbows. And yet, her ears were a trifle down, and her tail wasn't moving.

As the squirrel gave her an affectionate hug, the audience greeted her with a thunderous applause, for they were also glad that she was still alive.

All clapped and whistled, except for one rodent in particular.

A few minutes later, the applause faded, the emcee padded off stage left, and Clarice spoke, also with a serious tone, "Thank you, thank you so much for having me back. I'll tell you, a few weeks ago, I was planning yet another night here and I went to invite some friends…and I almost became owl food—" the audience went dead silent again, and all ears and tails were laid low "—if it weren't for some wonderful and close friends who risked their lives to save not only mine, but of other mammals as well. So, before we begin, I want to thank with all my heart the ones who rescued me and five others. I give you: The Rescue Rangers." She looked toward stage right and called them out one by one:

"Chip Maplewood…" He slowly padded up to the spotlight as the audience cheered thunderously. His leg was still in pain.

"Gadget Hackwrench…" Her new coveralls hid her bandaged left arm, but her joints still had a hint of arthritis. A few wolf calls rang out, but she didn't blush, for some reason.

"'Monterey' Jack Colby…" His right cheek sported a large bandage.

"Zipper Lightringer…" Though too small to be noticed by the audience, Zipper's stitches on his facial exoskeleton hadn't been removed yet. And his wing joints pained him a bit as well.

Upon seeing their dressed injuries, the audience expressed their gratitude louder and louder, as the Rangers sorely padded/flew onto the stage, with all ears down and all tails dragging as well.

Clarice continued, hushing the audience again, "There is one more Rescue Ranger who saved me that night, but he received _very_ heavy injuries and can't come up the stage just yet," she lied.

She knew Dale would refuse to go up on stage because he would not want to be applauded for having done what he did, _and_ because he was a stubborn ox.

"He _is_ in the audience, however, so could you please give a huge applause to: Dale Oakmont, Rescue Ranger."

She still couldn't bring herself to say his new middle name.

Both the audience and the Rangers clapped, and the audience searched for the Ranger in particular, without much success.

Clarice looked down at Dale, who looked back at her, indifferently, and with his ears and tail down.

_Clarice, I took a life. Why are you so proud of me? Why can't you stop lovin' me? Why?_

As the applause died down again, Clarice continued, "I'm also grateful to two other creatures who helped me that night; would you welcome with me: this handsome young bat named Otis…"

Otis padded up a trifle shyly as the audience clapped again, and some females even whistled at him. His head still had a bandage around it, as did the sides of his torso.

And his ears remained drooped.

"But most of all, please welcome this beautiful and wonderful batmaid: Foxglove."

Dale gasped.

He dared not look up at her painfully limping up the stage, ears and tail drooped, and assisted by Chip and Monterey. The audience cheered deafeningly and gave wolf calls as well.

_See, Foxy? Look at everyone who thinks you're beautiful! I'm not the only male on this planet! Please, find someone who can protect you!_

Foxglove, meanwhile, was pained not just because of all the movement she had to do, but also because one certain mammal would not move from his statue-like position.

Clarice continued, "And now, we have a very special number for you tonight. We're going to perform a few songs, and the Rescue Rangers are going to help me. And, I know you all came to see me and hear me sing tonight, but instead, on lead vocals, we'll have one of these very special mammals. It's a surprise."

Dale continued staring straight ahead of him.

So, that was their final plan.

Pity, they cared about him so much, and this was all that they could do.

It was hopeless.

On stage, the female shrew took her position on the keyboard while the rest left, except for one.

The emcee then brought a chair to centre stage, and adjusted the main microphone so that the lead vocalist could sing while sitting down.

And then, a pained batmaid padded up and sat on the chair, and said, "This song is dedicated to a very special male out there whom I will always love with all I've got."

Her beautiful voice was still just a trifle hoarse, _dead_…

Echosounding down at the stone-faced chipmunk, Foxglove added coldly, "You know who you are."

Dale stiffened once again. Was she going to get back at him for what he sang the other night? But if it didn't work before with her, why did they think it might work with _him_ now?

He said nothing.

He did nothing.

He just kept on staring blankly into space.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=M5foyWBnWmI )

The song began.

The shrew played a slow introduction, establishing a mellow mood.

Foxglove breathed deeply, knowing that there was no turning back, and hoped that this song, the initial "teaser", would tug a bit at the strings of Dale's heart.

She honestly doubted that he was going to break; nevertheless, she poured out her heart to him as she slowly began,

_"I know this world's not perfect,_

_ But then neither are we." _There, she said it. If Dale believed himself to be imperfect, she would accept it, if he only believed the same about her.

_"So why jump to conclusions_

_ About things—we can't see?"_ Like the future he dreaded, and the life of danger she would be forced to live, if she remained with him.

_"When the tide's up,_

_ The ship's wrecked._

_ It's hard what they're—saying…!"_ It had become more and more difficult for her to hear after that storm.

_"Fire's out,_

_ Thieves shout,_

_ 'It's time for betraaaaying…'!"_ Betrayal of a promise, of a relationship, of a Laughing One who was replaced with a Grieving One…

_"So close to the edge of my heart_

_ Where no one comes near."_ Only Dale had access to Foxglove's heart, and no one else.

_"You got so close to the edge of my heart,"_ On the night of the kidnapping.

_"Then walked away out of—fear."_ Dale stiffened. _What? Was she calling me a coward?_

_"I know sometimes_

_ When you glance behind_

_ Some things need unravelling alone."_ Moments of stress revealed many things about both that they didn't know.

_"And it's hard to understand_

_ Why you live in a place_

_ And you never feel at home…"_ Rescue Ranger Headquarters _and_ the bat flock. They would _never_ be home for either. Not without each other…

_"When the light's out_

_ The pride's in._

_ There's a standstill—in ruin…"_ She'd never forget how he looked on that dark and stormy night, so…_lifeless_…

_"Dreams soiled,"_ Their dreams of being together.

_"Bluffs called,"_ She would do that to his "curse".

_"The knot—is undooooiiing…"_ Like their bandages that night, she felt as if she was beginning to unravel herself, undoing herself, even _disintegrating_ herself…

_"So close to the edge of my heart,"_ She raised a wing to her chest.

_ "Where no one comes near," And no one ever will, Cute Stuff, not Otis, no one…_

_ "You got so close to the edge of my heart,"_ Dale almost scowled.

_ "Then walked away out of fear." Do you fear for my future? How can you, being so brave, and facing so many fears and danger before?_

Dale blinked slowly.

_All right! I admit it! I'm afraid! Afraid of risking your life! Afraid of having my son go through Hell! Afraid of…of…the future…because of my past…_

There was a short instrumental that allowed Foxglove to catch her breath, and she continued,

_ "The car stops,_

_ You get off._

_ The rain pours: God's…cough," _No, that night wasn't a cough. It was the worst nightmare they had ever been through.

_ "Fear starts," _And no future could bring more fear than that night did.

_ "Closed hearts," _Both of theirs, for a while. Now she was opening hers. Would he open his?

_ "And faith—almost giiiiives up…" _The keyword being "almost". She hadn't given up. She hoped he hadn't, either.

_ "So close to the edge of my heart," _Foxglove pleaded.

_ "Where no one comes near." _She extended her wings at him,

_ "You got so close to the edge of my heart," _She shook her head at his immobility.

_ "Then walked away out of fear." I…I walked away too, Cute Stuff…I…I was afraid, too…_

One more instrumental.

Foxglove just looked at the floor.

This wasn't working.

Still, she looked up, and finished,

_ "I know this world's not perfect," I could never be perfect, Cute Stuff, not after all I did, but I know you always will be._

_ "But then neither are we…" Foxy…if there was ever a perfect bat…it was you…_

Her voice trailed off, and then it was drowned by an explosive applause.

Chip and Monterey didn't wait until the applause died; as soon as the song ended, they helped Foxglove exit to stage left.

As they did, the nightingale returned to the chipmunk's table.

"Nice song, Friend Dale, do you not think so?"

Dale rubbed his unusually dry eyes for a moment.

He was getting a headache.

"So close…so close to the edge…" he sighed.

"Friend Dale, we all have things we feahh, some ah moah frightening dan others, but if Friend Foxglove is willing to go through dis, den she is moahh dan willing to face youahh feahh…togethahh _with _you."

"It…it just seems so hopeless…so _pointless_…I mean…if the night I let her go, and the night we fought the owl lady had never happened…then…yes, I would have married her long ago…but, Chirp, take a look at me now! Take a look at _her_! Is…is this really an acceptable way of life we could live together?"

He rubbed his pained snout.

"Is…is it all worth _anything_…?"

* * *

Foxglove flopped on a chair downed a glass of water.

"Excellent, Foxy!" chattered Clarice, quivering her tail. "I couldn't have set up a better atmosphere! This second song should do it, then, and we probably won't need the third! We just have to hurry so he doesn't have a chance to recover—"

"I…I will stand…"

"I know you'll…huh?"

The batmaid echosounded at the chipmunkmaid, "I'm not going to sing the next song sitting down, Clarice. Leave the chair here. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to give it everything. Dale proposed to me while _sitting down_…and he let me go while he was _on his knees_. We almost died while _flying_…so if I'm going to win his heart again, it will be with me _standing up straight_."

Though her voice was soft, her countenance was again poised to split stones.

Clarice gulped.

"Oh…okay…no chair then. Guys, come on!"

With difficulty, and pained knees and ankles, the batmaid stood once more, aided by Clarice and Gadget this time.

The batmaid was beginning to breathe with difficulty.

* * *

"Dat is a good question, Friend Dale," replied Chirp, standing again. "And you will get your answer soon enough."

The paseriform left the rodent alone again.

_Okay, let's see what their second selection is…not that it will do anything…_

The Rangers helped Foxglove up to centre stage once again, and they andthe rest of Clarice's band padded up as well: the two male mice on guitars, the male gopher on bass, the female rat on drums, and the male and female canaries on back-up vocals.

However, the female shrew gave her place to Monterey on the left of the stage, while Chip gladly sat down on the rodent-sized grand piano on the right of the stage.

Since Zipper couldn't sing very well, he remained backstage to watch with the other bats, who fortunately had become good friends with him now.

The rest lined up for the back-ups, including Clarice.

_What, you guys too? Oh, come on, Chip, I know you guys are desperate, but this is pathetic!_

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=9yfu9egNOdA )

The song began with a drum intro, followed by a piano instrumental by Chip, with Monterey providing a few effects now and then, and with the bass also providing body. The rhythm was somewhat Latin, but again, it was mellow, and almost sad.

They all began together, except for Foxglove, who for some reason could not find the strength to sing, though only for a moment,

_"Mornings alone—"_ Falling asleep alone in the morning for her; awakening alone in the morning for him…

_"Oh-oh—"_ moaned Foxglove, sending shivers up Dale's spine, as well as hers. The rest continued,

_"When you come home_

_ I breathe a little faster."_ Dale remembered the night she came back. He had been more than nervous. True, she always made his lungs and heart accelerate. Foxglove took a deep breath and plunged herself into the song,

_"Every time we're togetheee—oh-wo!"_ She surprised herself by suddenly moaning. She quickly straightened up and perked her ears a trifle,

_"It'd never be the same—!"_ No, it would never be. The others repeated,

_"It'd never be the same—"_ The knot in her throat was forming again. She continued,

_"If you're not heeere—!" Here, with me!_ Dale stiffened his ears and tail again. Of _course_ it would never be the same! Nothing would ever be the same again, not after all that happened!

_"How can you stay away—"_ Their chests began aching one more time. _Me? Foxy, I thought you had stayed away… _The rest repeated again,

_"How can you stay—"_ And together,

_"—away so long?" Foxy…it's…it's not easy, I tell you…_ There was a slight pause while Foxglove caught her breath. This was more exhausting than the rehearsal. Then again, Dale wasn't there before.

_"Why can't we stay togetheee—oh—oo!"_ She was beginning to trail each line with a moan she couldn't control. _Dale, I need to know!_

_"Just give me a reason, give me a reason!" Huh? Didn't I already do that? Didn't we already decide?_

_ "'Cause—"_ And together,

_"I—I—don't wanna say it!" Say "it"? Say "what"?_

_ "I don't wanna find another way._

_ Make it through the day without youuu—"_ Dale sighed. True, he himself was running out of ideas for spending his time without her.

_"I—I—I can't resist!" Cute Stuff, I can't resist your echo_! She also wondered how _any_ female could resist him, _especially_ Gadget and Clarice.

_"Trying to find exactly what I miss."_ Actually, they knew that. They missed everything about each other.

_"It's just another day without youuu—"_ Another day, another week, another month. And it was getting to the point of depression and physical deterioration. Foxglove added angrily, flattening her ears a trifle,

_"It's just another dayyy, ooh!"_ She pitched her voice a trifle higher as they flowed to the next verse,

_"Making the time!"_ Her voice made Dale shiver again. She hushed for a moment to catch her breath, so the rest continued without her,

_"Find the right lines—"_ She caught up with them as she leaned a bit on the mike stand,

_"To make you stay foreveeer—" Trying to say something that will make you take me back, Darling! Please understand that!_ She continued alone,

_"What do I have to tell youuu—oo?" Foxy, we've talked about that…!_

_ "I'm just trying to hold on to somethin—"_ Suddenly, her throat knot choked out that last word, so the rest continued,

_"Trying to hold on to something good." On the best I've found, in you, Dale!_ She sang,

_"Oh-oo—! Give us a chance to make it—"_ He looked down, as his hexagonal tracheal knot came back as well._ As I gave Chip and Gadget the chance, and they blew it, like we did… _The others repeated,

_"Give us a chance—"_ And together,

_"—to make it!"_ Clarice noticed that Foxglove was leaning on the stand. Something was wrong here.

_"No, no, no!"_ she added, shaking her head. And her breathing difficulty was becoming more and more obvious.

_"—Wanna hold on togetheee—oh—oo!"_ Her exertions were getting stronger and stronger, and draining more and more energy from her. It was getting more and more difficult to keep her ears up and her tail stiff. Once more, the black holes emerged._ Dale, all I want is one more chance with you!_

_ "I'm not that strong! I'm not that strong!" Please, consider that, Cute Stuff! You may be able to handle this, but I can't!_

All sang together,

_"I—I—don't wanna say it!" Foxy, I don't want to say it, either!_

_ "I don't wanna find another way,"_ Chip's ears perked up as he also noticed Foxglove's unusual exertions.

_"Make it through the day without youuu—" Dale, I've come to the end of my rope. Please help me!_

_ "No-wo,"_ she added. Dale's breathing also intensified with the black hole in his chest. It was clear that she wanted to come back, _to him_, _again_, and all he had to do was accept her. But that seemed so far out of his reach now…

_"I—I—I can't resist!"_ Who couldn't resist someone like _her_? Especially when she was so _helpless_ now…

_"Trying to find exactly what I miss."_ Chip turned to Gadget, and was about to signal her to stand by to stop the song, but he stiffened when he looked at her.

_"It's just another day without youuu—"_ Gadget was singing beautifully, but she had her ears back and her tail stiff, and the angriest expression aimed at _him_. Both didn't notice Foxglove moan again,

_"No-oh!"_

Chip played another instrumental, with his eyes fixed on Gadget. _She_ was also singing this song to _him_! _She_ wanted him back as well! But…would it work, even after all they discussed?

Suddenly, Chip turned back to Foxglove as he heard her moan at a higher pitch,

_"Oh-oo-oh, oh-oo-oh-oo-oh!"_

Chip continued for a moment, and he looked back at Gadget. She was still looking at him angrily, but when he tilted his head in the batmaid's direction, the mousemaid turned to her. Her ears perked up and her expression turned to one of inquiry. Foxglove moaned again,

_"Oooooo—!—whyyy—can't you stay foreveee—ooohhh—oh?"_ Inside, Foxglove was crying her soul out, and Dale was doing so, too. _Dale…please…_

_"Just give me a reason—!"_ Her ears and tail stiffened as she suddenly thrust out her left wing and held up one demanding—and trembling—index wing digit at her rodent and screeched,

_"—JUST GIVE ME ONE REASON!" Foxy…I've…I've…run…out of…reasons…_ Dale wasn't too sure if he sniffed at this point. But his eyes were completely dry. And glazing more and more…

_"'CAUSE I—!"_ Foxglove suddenly found herself throwing her head back with her fists and eyes tightly shut, ears and tail drooped, and moaning, wailing, wanting to cry, because she could not come out of that note. The pain was too intense for her. And that was the only way she could scream now, the only way her soul could call for help. The rest continued with the chorus,

_"I—I—don't wanna say it!"_ Gadget looked at the others. Something was _definitely_ wrong.

_"—I—ohhhh—ooo—!"_ Foxglove shivered for a moment, and she would have collapsed if she suddenly did not clutch the stand. Her heartbeat was skyrocketing, and even Otis could hear it above the music. She hushed once more.

_"I don't wanna find another way—"_ Monterey straightened up when he realised what was happening. He turned to Clarice. Foxglove sang, with trembling wings,

_"Don't wanna find a way—!"_ and stopped again. Dale, too, had unnatural cardiac rhythms at this point.

_"Make it through the day without youuu—"_ Otis turned to the others, unknowing of what to do. Foxglove insisted,

_"Don't wanna make it through the day—no!"_ She couldn't continue with the next line. As the others sang, Clarice grabbed her microphone and slowly padded up behind her.

_"I—I—I can't resist!"_ Clarice put a paw on Foxglove's shoulder, and almost gasped. She felt _cold_…

_"Baby, no—!"_ _Dale, Baby, I can't resist!_ It was all Foxglove could say, and again the others continued alone. For a moment, Dale thought he was shivering as well…

_"Trying to find exactly what I miss."_ Foxglove could only turn slightly and nod at Clarice. She had to go on. She _needed_ to go on, but the chorus was barely enough to express her _true_ feelings…

_"It's just another day without youuu—"_ Each word was pressing more and more into the couple. Chip and Gadget forgot their own problems and kept their eyes on the batmaid.

_"Noo-iii—oh-iii—iii—yea!"_ she moaned. She couldn't express herself any other way. No known language could convey what her soul was trying to scream…

_"I—I—don't wanna say it!"_ Foxglove was ignoring the chorus altogether and simply answering each line with a cry from her soul. All the performers looked at each other, with their eyes and ears questioning their next move. Dale, meanwhile, couldn't even blink.

_"Don't wanna find a way, no—!" Dale…Cute Stuff…_ She hushed again, and leaned hard on the stand. She was almost hyperventilating.

_"I don't wanna find another way."_ Enough. Clarice turned to the band and signalled that this was the final verse.

_"Make it through the day without youuu—"_ Furthermore, Clarice and the other Rangers were also feeling pain, as well as _fear_, as their ears and tails showed…

_"N-nooo—woa—! Noo-woa—!"_ Clarice suddenly turned back to Foxglove, frightened at her wails.

_"I—"_

_ "Noo-woa—!"_ Her throat was on the verge of collapsing.

_"I—"_

_ "Noo-woa—!"_ She couldn't say anything else. Her soul was literally pouring out of her, _escaping_ her, almost.

_"I can't resist!"_ The song began to fade, but the pain didn't. Panic gripped everyone's hearts at this point.

_"Noo-woa—!"_ Dale wanted to wail with her, but he was frozen in place by unbelievable _pain_…

_"Trying to find exactly what I miss."_

_ "Ohhh—oo—yeah—"_ Foxglove slowly blinked. It was over now.

_"It's just another day without you…"_

The song finally stopped, with the audience cheering and hollering like never before, all except one, whose chest was moving in a very unnatural rhythm.

Clarice dashed at Foxglove, and flattened her ears and gasped when she saw her face.

The batmaid was in a pain felt by no other chiropterid. Her eyes were glazing over, her jaw and wings were quivering, her ears and tail were sagging, she was breathing erratically—

"Excuse us, we're going to take a little break." Clarice was barely heard above the applause.

The other Rangers quickly padded to Foxglove and helped her go backstage…

* * *

Dale tried to sigh, but his breathing would not return to normal, nor would his ears and tail relax.

The luscinia's eyes widened when he returned to the tamias' table. He quickly hopped to his side, "Friend Dale, ah you all right?"

The chipmunk trembled as he tried to pour himself another thimble. His ears wouldn't rise up again, and his tail was incredibly stiff, "Chirp…I'm…I'm okay…I think…"

The pain in his joints was coming back with a vengeance, and the nightingale had to help him with the bottle.

"Um…great song, don't you think…?"

Chirp had to think fast, "Friend Dale, did you not see what she was trying to do? She was trying to—"

_"I know that!"_ he chattered.

Yes, he did.

It had suddenly dawned on him that Foxglove had _come back to him, again—_

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Ermm…sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you."

"Friend Dal—"

"Chirp…I know she wants me back. _I_ want her back! I want so much to marry her!"

The sciurid actually felt like crying, but his lachrymal glands would not obey him, and he wondered why.

"But…I _can't_! If not because of the immediate danger, then because of the danger to our cubs…to our grandcubs, who will go through this pain again and again and again!"

The turdid stiffened.

His throat knotted as well as memories flashed within _him_ now, "Friend Dale, Friend Chip also told me of what you believe to be a curse. Is…is it true? Ah you…cursed?"

The chipmunk slowly turned to the nightingale, who shivered when he saw his reflection in the mist, "I'm cursed. My father is cursed. My grandfather is cursed. _All_ Oakmonts are cursed. And unlike you, it wasn't because of a plot to overthrow a monarchy! There is no cover-up here! No watered-down opium to cause hallucinations! No mechanical rooms! No wakin'-up-and-it-was-all-a-dream-because-everythin's-back-to-normal! Chirp, this is somethin' that began before the Europeans came here! And I don't want Foxy or my cubs to be a part of that!"

Chirp took a moment to let that sink in, and then he replied, "Friend Dale, believe it oh not, _I _wascursed as well. I was cursed with having an empress who declared me cursed and made every single effort to prove it. I felt so cursed dat I flew away…_straight into a Himalayan blizzard_! Friend Dale, I wanted to run, to escape from dis very life! Is dat de way you feel now?"

The avian's tone had an unusual sternness about it, making the mammal calm down a trifle.

"N-no. I want to live. I want…I want to continue rescuin' others. My job's important! I don't _want_ to kill myself, but it was the _Comedian_—it was _Segoleh_ who had to die!"

"Friend Dale, if you felt so cursed dat you killed de Comedian, den it is of no surprise dat you killed an owl, noh should it surprise you dat you ah killing youah-self…_and _Friend Foxglove as well!"

For a moment, Dale felt like removing this bird's beak from his head.

Chirp felt scared for a moment when he saw Dale's facial expression, but he forced himself to continue in the most serious tone he could muster, "You rescued me when _I_ wanted to kill myself. You proved dat I was not cursed. Now, I have come to repay de favoh. You saved my life, now I must save youahs. If you want to or not, it does not mattah. What mattahs now is my honoh, and I will not insult my own honoh by just standing heah and watching you—_and_ Friend Foxglove—_die_. _I_ will also prove dat you ah not cursed."

"You're too late for that, Chirp. The proof came the night we were to be married. It came the night my _parents_ were to be married. It came the night my _grandparents_ were to be married!"

Chirp got angry now. He sat up and stated, "Den de only way dat proof can be annulled is if I act against it. And de only way I can do dat is if I succeed in getting you two married. Youah 'curse' can only be broken if you defy de past and come togethah. And I am _going_ to make you do so."

The luscinia stood to his full height and ruffled his chest out as he said that.

The tamias looked up at him, ears down, and asked defiantly…

* * *

As quickly as they could, Clarice and the Rangers sat Foxglove down on the nearest available chair.

The batmaid was breathing in a distressingly heavy manner, and she was gripping her chest, causing the other chiropterids to gather around her as well.

"Back off!" roared Monterey. "She needs air 'ere, lads!"

They backed off, ears and tails low, slightly scared of him.

"Um, Foxy, you…er…you sang better than you did at the rehearsals!" chuckled Clarice, rather nervously. "But you didn't _have_ to sing it _exactly_ the way you heard the origi—"

"Clarice! Is there a doctor here?" asked Zipper, in near panic.

The chipmunkmaid's brain almost locked up trying to figure out a way to help. "Um…a doctor? Er…um…there's a first aid kit at the office—"

"She doesn't need a first aid kit, she needs a doctor, Clarice!" chattered Chip, with flattened ears and stiff tail.

All present were shocked at his outburst, but most shocked were Gadget and Chip himself.

He tried to recover, "Uh…sorry, Clarice. But Foxglove needs a doctor!"

Calming down a trifle, Clarice replied, "Sorry, guys, but nightclubs don't require registered doctors in order to operate! We'll have to take her to the hospital—!"

"Did…did it…work…?"

All looked at Foxglove, who had somehow managed to gasp that statement.

Gadget laid her ears and tail down and sighed, "Sorry, Foxy, but it didn't work—"

"I don't know about that," interrupted Otis. "I think you got to Dale somehow. I can hear his breathing and heartbeat from here!"

Chip had enough of this musical attempt to save his friends, so he decided to resort to radical measures, "I'm going to get the nearest justice of the peace and have him marry those two even if I have to—!"

"…No…" gasped the batmaid, interrupting him. "Cl…Clarice…I…let's try…one more time…!"

All looked at the batmaid, incredulously.

"What'ya mean 'again'? Foxy, yer in no condition to continue!" scolded Monterey, with stiff ears and tail.

With her eyes glazing fast, Foxglove raised her ears a trifle, and replied, "I'll be the…judge of that! If…this fails…then it's all over…just…one…more…chance!"

Everyone hesitated.

Hearing that, Foxglove tried to breathe deeply, trying to regain her composure.

Slowly and painfully, she stood again.

"Clarice…Chip…Gadget…guys, I…I really want to try again…I _know_ I can do this…I don't want to leave without having tried everything…And if it doesn't, then it's…it's all over…for both of us."

She breathed heavily as she turned to the stage.

This would be her final assault.

But then, for some reason, she let her ears and tail droop, turned to Clarice, and hugged her. Then, she turned to Gadget and did the same, and to Chip, to Monterey, to Zipper, to Otis, to Feyyanna, to Richard, and finally to Rosie.

She stated, "Guys, if this works, then we'll be fine. If not, then I guess…I guess…that it was an honour being a Rescue Ranger…and having all of you as friends and family…thank you all…thanks…Otis, Feyyanna, you're the best brother and sister one could ever have…!"

If Chip didn't know better, he could swear she was saying good-bye not only to the Rangers, but to the other bats as well.

He turned to Clarice, who turned to Otis, who turned and looked out to the audience.

A certain avian gave him a signal.

"That's the signal," he told them.

Foxglove stood resolutely and echosounded at the stage with the most serious expression she could muster, ears at attention, tail stiffened, and breathing angrily, almost growling, even.

This was it.

Just one more time.

_ She was going to give him her ultimatum._

She would either get through the heart of her male, or die trying, which was a distinct possibility now.

Time for Plan C.

And the third one was the _doozy_…

Seeing that she would not be dissuaded, Clarice looked over to stage left and made eye contact with the emcee.

She nodded.

He nodded, and turned to the light controls…

* * *

"…and _what_, pray tell, are you going do to make us do so?"

Chirp Sing said nothing. Instead, he looked to the stage, made a slight bow, and moved his right wing in a circular manner.

The nightingale took one final look at the chipmunk, and was about to hop off again—

"Chirp, I enjoyed havin' you for a friend. I'm glad we were able to rescue you. Have a safe trip back, and take care of the emperor, will ya?"

Chirp knew more than perfectly that this was his final good-bye.

With a tear in his eye, he replied, "Den I have done all dat I could do. My job heah is finished. My honoh is safe—" Unexpectedly, the avian suddenly turned and hugged the mammal, crying. "Th-thank you, Friend Dale…foh everything—!"

Chirp Sing then hopped away as fast as he could.

The chipmunk wondered why the nightingale broke down in tears when he had just wished him a safe trip back. But he knew Chirp would not be staying for long, anyway.

There would be no wedding, ever.

He pondered on what else would never be again: no more goof-ups, no more foul-ups, no more late night movies, no more clowning around, no more practical jokes, no more jokes, _period_, no more laughs—

No more smiles?

He suddenly remembered their first night here, when the others told a spontaneous joke and he did not laugh at it, even though he had gone that night precisely to _have_ a laugh.

Why didn't he laugh?

Why _couldn't_ he laugh?

Why couldn't he _cry_?

Sure, the break-up was devastating, but that didn't exactly bring him to the point of clinical depression—

_Depression._

_ That's_ what he had!

The doctors' original diagnosis was incorrect. All he had to do was change his medication, and he would be fine.

If Foxy was also like that, as she told him, then she, too, would be fine with the new medication. It was all so simple!

Dale's ears perked up a trifle as he downed another shot of walnut extract. True, he was most definitely depressed, but now, it seemed that he would eventually get used to this depression, and it appeared that Foxglove would get used to it as well.

And, of course, the new medication would help them both get used to it.

This nonsense that they were both dying was precisely that: _nonsense_.

All that was happening was that they were still recovering from their night with Strigidæ, or Ima, or whatever her name was, and they had a chemical imbalance that was easily remedied.

In fact, it was probably time to take his arthritis medication again, because his joints were acting up again.

But still, this was the life he had chosen, and all Foxglove had to do to get out of _her_ depression was find someone else who could keep her out of danger; to finally get her out of this life of danger where he nearly buried her in.

The lights dimmed.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=e-T796qVyGA or w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=hHZyYO5Yjhg )

The spotlight then shone on Chip, who was at the piano again, with his ears down. He began playing a slow and very depressing sequence.

_Oh, great,_ thought Dale. _That's all I need now! More depressing music!_

Chip continued with that sequence, playing it over and over and over, letting it sink in. After the fourth repetition, he looked up to stage left, and nodded as if giving a cue.

Another spotlight then shone on Otis, also with drooped ears, who began,

_"Turn around—"_ And yet another spotlight shone on a droop-eared _Foxglove_, who suddenly added with the angriest expression on her face,

_"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round—"_ Her voice was low, hoarse…

_"Turn around—"_ She raised her head a trifle, brought her left wing to her face and sang,

_"Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears—"_ Though technically, she had not cried since the break up. Maybe she was referring to her soul crying on the inside, weeping, moaning, _mourning_…

_"Turn around—"_

_ "Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by—"_ Dale shuddered again and let his ears and tail droop. True, they were both still young, so maybe she referred to the Fourth of July, or the year she spent away from him.

_"Turn around—"_ She slowly extended her right wing toward him,

_"Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes—!"_ She was pleading with him. _Dale, your eyes used to give me comfort. What happened to them?_ The male mouse entered with his guitar as Otis added,

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes—!"_

_ "Every now and then I fall apart—!"_ More like _all_ the time. She fell apart whenever she thought or dreamed of him.

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes—!"_

_ "Every now and then I fall apart—!" Foxy, I fall apart whenever—_

**_[BOOM!]_**

_"Turn around—"_ Everyone in the club jerked slightly when the rat lady and the gopher suddenly entered with the drums and bass, and someone back stage added a thunder effect, complete with flash. Dale almost clawed some shavings off his table.

_"Oo—oo—"_ The rest, also with low ears and tails, backed up Foxglove as she insisted,

_"Every now and then I get a little bit restless—"_ It was the first time fall fever had lasted through the summer for Foxglove.

_"Oo—oo—"_

_ "—and I dream of something wild—"_ Yes, they both dreamed that. And that was all they had of each other, and though they wanted to, they couldn't let go of it. Another thunderclap pounded at their black holes.

_"Turn around—"_

_ "Oo—oo—"_

_ "Every now and then I get a little bit helpless—"_ She held a trembling wing toward him again,

_"Oo—oo—"_ and held it close to her chest again,

_"—and I'm lying like a child in your arms—!"_ Well, in her dreams, at least. What she wouldn't give to be in his arms now.

Another thunderclap.

_"Turn around—"_

_ "Ah—"_ Her ears and tail stiffened, her eyebrows joined together and her fangs flashed,

_"Every now and then I get a little bit angry—"_

_ "Ah—"_

_ "—and I know I've got to get out and cry—!"_ She turned away slightly, as her features went limp again. _And cry with you, Cute Stuff! Please, help me cry again!_

Another thunderclap.

_"Turn around—"_

_ "Ah—"_

_ "Every now and then I get a little bit terrified—"_ Her voice cracked, making everyone shiver. Dale, too felt terrified.

_"Ah—"_

_ "—but then I see the look in your eyes—!"_ The look in _her_ eyes, the look of pleading, wanting, begging, _loving_… Gadget joined Otis,

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes—!"_ And suddenly Chip felt pain again.

_"Every now and then I fall apart!"_ Surprised to hear herself growl for a moment, Foxglove thought, _Cute Stuff, I'm falling apart now! I'm falling apart without you!_

_ "Turn around, Bright Eyes—!"_ Chip looked up to see Gadget sing. She was giving him that _look_ again. _Gadget…_ was all he could think.

_"Every now and then I fall apart—!"_ Foxglove took a pained breath and chorused,

_"And I need you now tonight!"_ The rest oo'ed throughout the chorus. _Tonight, Dale, especially tonight!_

_"And I need you more than ever!"_ Her wing kept on pleading with him, but he still would not turn around.

_"And if you only hold me tight!"_ She wrapped her wings around herself, trying, but failing, to pretend it was him.

_"We'll be holding on—forever!" Dale, just hug me, hold my wing, and I know you'll take me back!_

_ "And we'll only be making it right!" _Dale wasn't sure he wanted to figure out what that line meant.

_"'Cause we'll never be wrong!" Dale, we were perfect! With help, we can't go wrong again!_

_ "Together we can take it to the end of the line!"_ The tamias trembled at the word "end". True, he expected to live for a long time, but now he wasn't very sure of that.

_"Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time!"_ At this point, the lights switched, shutting off on Foxglove, and turning on at the back of the audience.

_"All of the time!"_ yelled the rest.

_"I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark!"_ Foxglove's silhouette kept pleading with the rodent who was now eclipsing her.

_"We're living in a powder keg and giving off—sparks!"_ Dale felt the heat of the spotlight on his cheek, feeling _sparks_, almost. But he couldn't even blink. Instead, he was seriously considering finding whoever was working the lights…

Suddenly Foxglove shut her eyes and screeched, making everyone shiver,

_"I REALLY NEED YOU TONIGHT!"_ while the rest backed up,

_"AHH—!"_ Her throat was pressing on her again, but she couldn't stop now. Gadget and Clarice helped her,

_"Forever's gonna start tonight!"_ And then, Foxglove hushed, leaving the rodentmaids to finish,

_"Forever's gonna start tonight—"_ Gadget glared at Chip, with her ears and tail stiff. _You're a coward,_ she thought.

Foxglove, meanwhile, calmed down a trifle, looked up, with limp features again, and reflected,

_"Once upon a time I was falling in love,"_ Once upon a _long_ time ago…so long ago, it seemed as if it had been a legend she had barely heard of.

_"But now I'm only falling apart."_ Gadget made sure Chip heard her sing that line. She, too, wanted more, and she, too, was feeling the effects of his refusal. Foxglove continued alone,

_"There's nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart."_ She almost shrugged at Dale. His love would eclipse that of any other male, now and forever. She looked up, as the spotlight shone on her again,

_"Once upon a time there was light in my life,"_ How she remembered that night at the drive in, a night that also seemed like a legend now…

_"But now there's only love in the dark."_ The lights made Dale eclipse her again, but Gadget still kept her eye on Chip. Clarice then joined the two again,

_"Nothing I can say, a total eclipse of the heart."_ Chip looked down, ashamed, as he began another instrumental.

Dale then felt a cool breeze on his face as the air conditioning shifted, causing his nostrils to once more fill themselves with Foxglove's scent. He even thought he _heard_ the wind blowing, reminding him of their night with Strigidæ—

**_[BOOM!]_**

Suddenly, another flash and thunderclap tensed him again. The band was playing the verse as an instrumental, ending each line with a thunderclap.

Dale began to tremble slightly as the horrible night, and the previous verse, played in his mind again. And then, not only the night with Strigidæ, but also the night he let her go. As the band played on, Dale kept breathing painfully to himself. No, it was impossible for him to take her back. Realising that she had now come back to him for the _third_ time, his whole being yearned for her, but the newly installed logic in his brain kept flashing the possible horrible consequences in the future—

**_[BOOM!]_**

Foxglove was again leaning on the stand with what little strength she had left. The owl lady and the break-up also played once more in her head, draining more and more energy, rendering it impossible to raise her ears and tail. She was doing what she could to keep her shivering to a minimum, but the lyrics and the music and the _HANDSOME_ one in front of her were destroying her. But what hurt her most was that her efforts were not producing any visible or audible results. Her chest and throat were going to implode any moment now—

**_[BOOM!]_**

Chip did not know what to do about Gadget. Yes, he loved her, but how could he take _her_ back, after all they said? After all the logic _both_ knew perfectly well? His own chest began developing a black hole now, and his throat began knotting as well—

**_[BOOM!]_**

Gadget could only hope that she would _at least_ get through to the sciurid she loved with all her heart and soul and she _knew_ now beyond the shadow of any doubt which could be substantiated by a reason that she loved him because she could feel the pressure in her chest and throat every time she looked at him and smelled at him and heard his voice and now even _more_ so that she was singing to him what little she had of this song to herself because she _certainly_ did not want to steal the show from Foxglove and the _real_ purpose here was to bring Dale and Foxglove together and hopefully to finally bring _herself_ to straighten things out with Dale and it wouldn't hurt if _another_ couple got together on the side and it really wouldn't take much to bring _them_ together because their problems weren't as pressing—

She shook herself to the here and now as the entire stage sang,

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes!"_ And another thunderclap rang out. Dale still would not move his head.

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes!"_ they repeated, and yet another thunderclap.

Foxglove growled to herself as she echosounded at her spirit/mind/body's desire. She poised herself for the next verse, the one she _knew_ would get to him, for she had read the lyrics over and over and over, and if it didn't, she would just turn around herself, leave the club, and find Fat Cat.

This would be either her moment of glory and triumph, or of disgrace and defeat. Either way…

…this was her finest hour…

…and just possibly, her _last_ hour as well…

Otis continued with his pressing command,

_"Turn around—"_

_ "Oo—"_ The rest oo'ed and ah'ed as Foxglove hissed away each line into Dale's heart, as she reflected,

_"Every now and then I know you'll never be the boy—"_

_ "Ah—"_

_ "—you always wanted to be."_ And she had come to accept that as well. If nothing else, she would take him back, Goof-up, Klutz, Clown, Comedian, Segoleh, or not, for she, too, would never achieve her dreams.

_"Turn around—"_ Dale, too, knew that. As much as he tried, he would never live up to her. He would never be the husband she needed, even with his radical change, not with this curse hanging on to him. He wasn't worthy of her love, of _anyone's_ love.

_"Oo—"_ She suddenly pleaded with both wings at him,

_"But every now and then I know you'll always be the only boy—" Huh?_ thought Otis.

_"Ah—"_ Foxglove pointed at herself,

_"—who wanted me the way that I am!" Dale, you accepted me, especially after I left Freddy! You loved me for me, as I did for you!_

_"Turn around—"_ Otis' heart finished breaking here. He was officially on the sidelines now. So all he had left to do was stand there and cheer them on. He would recover, someday…

_"Ah—"_ Now came the key line, the culmination of her effort, the _coup-de-grace_. She took a deep breath, and screeched,

**_"EVERY-_**

**_ NOW-_**

**_ AND-_**

**_ THEN-_**

**_ I-_**

**_ KNOW-_**

**_ THERE'S-_**

**_ NO-_**

**_ ONE-_**

**_ IN-_**

**_ THE-_**

**_ UNIVERSE—"_**

_ "Ah—"_

_ **"—AS-**_

**_ MAGICAL-_**

**_ AND-_**

**_ WONDROUS-_**

**_ AS-_**

**_ YOU—!" _**_NO!_ His face almost scowled again, but his features were also losing energy. He refused to accept that, because he _knew_ she was wrong, _and_ he had proof to counter that opinion. If she could _only_ realise that!

_"Turn around—" No one, Cute Stuff! No one, not Otis, not Chip, NO ONE! Dale, you are so magical and wondrous and perfect, PLEASE let me love you!_

_"Ah—" Foxy, why…why do you think that of me, after all I made you and the others go through?_ For a moment, Dale thought he felt a tear form in his left eye.

_"Every now and then I know there's nothing any better—!" NOTHING AND NO ONE! ONLY YOU, DALE, ONLY YOU!_

_ "Ah—"_

_ "—there's nothing that I just wouldn't do!" To bring you back, to be one with you, Dale, I'll die if you don't, and you will, too!_

_ "Turn around, Bright Eyes—!" Turn around, ###### it!_ thought Otis. Foxglove squealed,

**_"EVERY NOW AND THEN I FALL APART—!"_** It seemed that the music was lifting her, making her feel light-headed. Or maybe the medication was wearing off again.

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes—!"_ Chip and Gadget suddenly looked at Clarice, who, with stiff ears and tail, was glaring at them and pointing in Foxglove's direction.

_"Every now and then I fall apart—!"_ They both looked at the pipistrell, who was now singing with a disturbing effort again, and their features also expressed _fear_. Everyone backed her up as she chorused,

_"Oo—"_

_ "And I need you now tonight!" Foxy, I…I need you tonight—_ Clarice and Gadget repeated,

_"And I need you—"_ and all three again,

_"And I need you more than ever!" Foxy, I can't go on without you!_

_ "Oo—"_

_ "And if you only hold me tight!" Foxy, hold me one last time—_ Clarice perked up her ears and looked at Gadget,

_"And if you only—"_

_ "We'll be holding on forever!" Forever, Foxglove…how I wanted forever with you—_

_ "Oo—"_

_ "And we'll only be making it right!"_ The batmaid nearly fell, making Gadget and Clarice gasp,

_"And we'll never—"_

_ "'Cause we'll never be wrong!"_ Foxglove was now having trouble hearing herself. She noticed all the lights seem to slowly dim all around her.

_"Oo—ah—"_ Visibly shaking now, she screeched, perking her ears up one last time,

_"Together we can take it to the END OF THE LINE!"_ Clarice laid her ears back again as she was suddenly gripped with terror. She had seen this type of performance before, and those times it had to do with…with…

_"Oo—!"_ The sciurid eclipsed the verspetilionid once more as she continued to screech with balled wings held in front of her,

_"Your love is like a SHADOW ON ME ALL OF THE TIME!" Her _soul was crying out its last, almost bursting from within her. The others cried with her,

_"ALL OF THE TIME!"_ And if Clarice didn't know better, she could swear Foxglove was not only singing her third and final song…

_"Oo—ah—"_ …but her _swan song_…

_"I don't know what to do, I'M ALWAYS IN THE DARK!"_ Dale's fur ruffled with Foxglove's squeals. He had never heard her like this, not even on the night they broke up.

**_"WE'RE LIVING IN A POWDER KEG AND GIVING OFF…!…SPARKS!"_** Fireworks suddenly erupted from both sides of the stage; suddenly giving the batmaid a ghostly appearance, as she suddenly extended and raised her wings high. Dale shivered visibly at that, and he even blinked. Foxglove, meanwhile, was rapidly fading. The music was getting harder and harder to hear. The lights were getting dimmer and dimmer. Her ears and tail were getting cramps. Her strength and voice were almost gone now. Her chest pressed against her back. Her throat was swallowing itself. Her knees were painfully losing their battle to hold her weight up. Her wings and shoulders became sore almost immediately, causing them to shrivel back to her sides.

An immense crescendo nearly made Dale and Foxglove explode. The rest, too, felt the pain welling up to incredible proportions as the music rose. Foxglove balled her wings again, and finally burst,

**_"I REALLY NEED YOU TONIGHT!"_** Dale visibly gasped, with limp features. The stage cried out,

_"Ah—!"_ Gadget and Clarice chattered with Foxglove,

**_"FOREVER'S GONNA START TONIGHT!"_** And then the batmaid gasped, hushed, and grasped the stand as she nearly fell over, features limp, leaving the other two again,

_"FOREVER'S GONNA START…tonight—"_ The quiet, the calm. The pipistrell was now hunched over, holding the stand with _both_ wings now, totally spent,

_"Once upon a time I was falling in love,"_ Something was terribly wrong within her, because she was barely able to sing above a whisper.

_"But now I'm only falling apart."_ Gadget had to help her on that line again. She looked over at Foxglove, trying to deduce her condition. Foxglove continued painfully, with her eyes closed,

_"Nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart."_

_ Remember…when…Mick…said…when he was fightin'…sometimes…he'd fight so hard that he…was thinkin' that…he broke somethin'…inside…? He was gonna…die? And that's…what he said that's when the angels was pullin' on him…_

As Rocky's line ran spontaneously and flawlessly through Dale's mind, he _knew_ something had broken inside him too, and he had the feeling that the same thing just happened to Foxglove, and only supernatural beings were holding both of them up now.

The batmaid raised her head a trifle,

_"Once upon a time there was light in my life,"_ Odd, she couldn't see the light. Gadget helped her again,

_"But now there's only love in the dark."_ The mousemaid perked her ears up and looked at the chipmunk on the piano, almost asking for a plan. She, Clarice, and Foxglove took it home,

_"Nothing I can say, a total eclipse of the heaaaart—"_ The batmaid was now visibly gasping, stirring up soft murmurs among the audience now. Still, she continued with the others,

_"A total eclipse of the heaaart—"_ She stumbled as she tried to straighten,

_"A total eclipse of the heaaart—"_ No, no more. The chipmunk did not turn around, not even to look at her. Dale had flatly refused her one more time.

Foxglove released the stand, letting it topple to its upright position. She then turned and nearly fell over the piano, generating even _more_ murmurs. Odd, why didn't she hear this thing? Something…something had given way inside her, something had _shattered_ inside her, and it was hurting her more than anything was now.

The rest looked/echosounded at her, quite frightened, with their tails low and ears laid back, as she turned and bumped into the piano. Chip continued with a soft instrumental, as a soft breeze blew again.

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes."_ sang Clarice, as she saw the batmaid leave. Foxglove stumbled her way past them. She had a cat to find. Which way was the exit, again? Maybe it was in the direction of the breeze…

_"Turn around, Bright Eyes—turn arooound."_ As Foxglove left through stage right, Chip stood and was about to leave the piano when he suddenly saw Monterey's paw signal him to stop, and then point at the audience. As he sat back down and turned, Clarice continued,

_"Ooo-oo-hoo—oo—!"_ The other chipmunk was finally moving. Dale painfully stood up, eliciting still more murmurs from the audience. Odd, where did all his strength go? Why couldn't he lift his ears?

_"Aha, aha!"_ sang Clarice. Gadget then held _her_ paw up toward stage right, signalling to Zipper and the other bats to stand down and not go after Foxglove. All their ears straightened up again, and all tails relaxed as well.

_"Aha, aha—hooo—ooh…!"_

As the song faded out, Dale bumped into a table, looking for the stage door. He then stumbled into the wall and fumbled his paws alongside it, looking for the doorknob. Perhaps he had one too many shots of walnut extract. But why were the lights so dim here?

The rest on the stage looked/echosounded at him, wondering if this plan had finally worked.

And neither Dale nor Foxglove heard the deafening applause that the audience suddenly gave…


	30. EIKOSIOKTO — DEATH OF A COMEDIAN…AND AN

**EIKOSIOKTO — DEATH OF A COMEDIAN…AND AN INTERPRETER**

Foxglove perked up her ears when she thought she heard the rain again.

But then again, she wasn't sure that it was rain.

Odd, her sonar wasn't echoing correctly from the objects in this place.

She echosounded louder.

Still not much echo.

And…and…why couldn't she hear herself?

She blinked several times, but there was no light in this room, either—

_Ouch!_

Her hip bumped on something sharp, maybe the corner of a table. Instinctively she held her wings out in front of her, trying to find her way to the exit, to find Fat Cat and feed herself to him, even force-feed herself if she had to.

Strange, she couldn't see, hear, or smell too well.

* * *

Dale tripped and fell on something, maybe a cable or a chair, he wasn't sure. The lights were apparently out in this part of the club and he couldn't see a thing, and he caught the scent of the metal a split second too late.

He thought he heard something ahead of him, but the noise was very faint, and as much as he tried to get closer to it, it seemed to be moving further and further away. And he wasn't sure if Foxglove came this way, either, for though her scent lingered, it was too weak to get a definite heading.

This was _certainly_ a stupid place to settle things once and for all.

If Foxglove was deliberately playing hard-to-get right now, he was going to find her and give her a piece of his newly-expanded mind.

Not only had they already talked about this, but they had _also_ settled it once and for all.

Why Foxglove chose to insist was beyond him.

Thusly, he would have to resort to extreme measures to make sure that Foxglove would never love him again.

He painfully shivered when he considered the options for accomplishing that.

Their love for each other was causing them immense pain, and placing them, and others, in danger, so he had to stop loving her, and make _her_ stop loving _him_.

And one option that he was definitely considering was to _hurt_ her, emotionally at first:

_Insulting_ her.

And if _that_ didn't work…

He honestly did not want to resort to slapping her, or much less going for greater physical injury.

True, they were _both_ still recovering from their injuries, so adding injury upon injury was _certainly_ something he refused to do, _especially_ to someone he cared about. But he loved her so much that he was willing to make her hate him so she would be safe from harm, and if he had to resort to that, well, it would only prove that Dale Segoleh Oakmont was truly dead.

And Dale Segoleh Oakmont would not have died from suicide…

_…but from a broken heart…_

He would never understand love.

And now he didn't need to, either.

In fact, he was beginning to hate it now.

He painfully pressed on and stumbled through the room.

* * *

Foxglove thought she heard something behind her. She turned and echosounded, but no echo returned.

She turned around again, but an immense burst of pain shot through her joints, causing her to stumble and fall.

She tried to sit, but all of her joints, including those of her ribs, began to stiffen painfully.

Her ears and tail fell once again, as her energy levels dropped more and more.

Where were her pills, again?

And then, her heart accelerated, adding to the pain.

She began to breathe erratically.

Finally, she panicked, and cried out…

* * *

_"…Foxglove…"_

Dale almost choked.

The knot in his throat was pressing so hard that it was impossible for him to chatter now, and all he could generate was a hoarse whisper.

As he continued, he stumbled over a chair, and fell on his face.

He tried to stand, but his joints refused to obey.

Not only that, but they were attacking him back.

He, too, was hit with unbelievable pain all over his body, and his heartbeat and lungs went berserk as well.

His ears and tail lost all energy, too.

He was in trouble, _again_…

* * *

_"…Dale…"_

The batmaid gasped.

She had forcefully screeched with all her might, and she could barely hear herself.

She had to find help.

She was _dying_…

* * *

Now that Dale had his nose pressed to the floor, he caught Foxglove's scent. But it was still very weak, as if she had passed through here several days ago.

Was this floor scent-proof?

He painfully dragged himself in the direction his nose led him.

* * *

All of Foxglove's strength, even her emergency reserve strength, her last microgram of adrenaline, was gone. Even the small amounts she used for turning, moving her wingtips, twitching her ears and tail, or even for speaking, were nearly gone as well.

But she couldn't stop and rest.

She had to find Dale, Chip, The Rangers, _anyone_.

She painfully took a deep breath, and screeched with all the strength she had left:

_"…help…"_

Someone, _anyone_.

But no one could hear her.

In fact, it seemed as if someone had whispered that word from behind a thick window, someone with another voice…

* * *

Dale pressed on.

The floor was becoming less and less distinct now.

His brain needed a full second to realise that his paw had touched the floor because it would not descend any further.

And Foxglove's scent was rapidly evaporating.

_"…Chip…"_

It was his last resort. But if he could barely hear himself, then there was no way that his best friend would hear him and rescue him from this…_impossible_ _predicament_…as he had done so many annoying times before.

Panic and fear enveloped him once more:

Panic and fear that he thought had left him the night of the pyre.

Panic and fear that he thought he had killed with Segoleh.

Panic and fear that had gripped the heart of the Comedian countless times before.

Panic and fear that caused so many goof-ups on his part.

Panic and fear that caused him to faint when his wife needed him most.

Panic and fear that nearly killed Foxglove, his friends, and himself…

Panic and fear that he thought had died along with the Clown were back with a _vengeance_, gripping the heart of the Fightmaster/Body-Builder/Cook/Mechanic/Stealth Expert/Detective/Rescue Ranger.

He could not escape them.

Unbelievable panic and unbelievable fear…

…because he finally realised he was _dying_…

* * *

Foxglove wasn't sure where she was sitting.

She kept swaying her head back and forth, trying to get an echosounding, but neither her throat nor her ears responded to her commands, much less her eyes.

And now, she was feeling _cold_.

No, not again, not when she was so close!

She almost had him, and the _Klutz_ had missed his chance of having unconditional love, and had missed it _forever_!

There would be no more chances.

And while she knew before that eventually she would die, this was certainly _not_ the place where she expected to die in!

_ …at night…_

_ …alone…_

_ …in a storage room…_

_ …backstage…_

_ …in a nightclub…_

_ …unloved…_

_ …uncared for…_

_ …ignored…_

_ …rejected…_

_ …sick…_

_ …depressed…_

_ …broken-hearted…_

_ …like a pathetic drug addict…_

But this time, there was no hint of peace in knowing that this pathetic life was almost over.

Panic and fear enveloped her as well, practically insulting her in her final moments, adding to her torment…

_…not even in death would she have peace…_

* * *

There was no way out of this one.

_The Fightmaster/Body-Builder/Cook/Mechanic/Stealth Expert/Detective/Rescue Ranger was helpless!_

And he couldn't get help, either!

Once a klutz, forever a klutz.

He would die clumsily, like the Klutz he thought he killed.

He would die alone, in the dark, where no one could see or hear him, beyond all help, and all because of his clumsiness.

Why didn't he ask Chip to follow him?

Why did he have to do this by himself?

Why did he have to consider this something so personal that not even his best friend was to be part of it?

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. You're stupid, Dale. And now you're going to die stupidly. What a big surprise._

In the end, Chip, Gadget, and the others had been _right_.

They _all_ had been right in rejecting _all_ input from him.

_And every single insult he received had been the 100 percent total truth._

His tombstone would declare:

_Here lies a stupid chipmunk. Chip, guys, you were right._

A stupid inscription fitting for his stupid life, which he stupidly handled and stupidly tried to share with a loved one, and stupidly disintegrated his loved one's heart and his own as well, and stupidly tried to make a radical change, and brought himself to a stupid end—

And then, his left paw felt something…

* * *

Foxglove shivered.

She felt something grab her right ankle, sending yet another wave of pain through her throbbing brain, though the grip was _very_ light, and she could barely feel the actual touch.

_"…Dale…"_ she called again.

No response.

* * *

Something soft, _very_ soft.

So soft, it was there, and yet it wasn't.

His tactile sensors were also fading fast.

But he _knew_ he had stumbled on to something because his paw would not close.

He was grabbing something soft, yet solid.

Huh? Did he hear something?

* * *

Foxglove thought she smelled something as well.

She painfully extended her wing…

_"…Foxglove…"_

The unexpectedly improvised acoustic dome formed by her wing finally brought that sound to her ears.

_DALE!_

But her ears would not perk up again.

They were too cold.

* * *

Dale was inhaling as hard as he could, but all the air was scentless, _dead_…

_"…Dale…"_

He didn't know if he heard his name being called out from within a dream or from beyond the grave, for he couldn't lift his ears anymore.

But at the same time the sound reached them, a suspended scent particle triggered one fading nerve in his olfactory bulb.

_FOXGLOVE!_

And then he barely felt something touch his back, something light, thin, leathery, and _cold_.

With pain now beyond measure, he stiffly brought himself to a sitting position.

Foxglove could barely feel him. And what she _could_ feel was tremendously cold.

Dale moved himself next to her.

He reached out, trying to feel her wing, but all he felt was cold leather.

He turned his paw a little, and brushed it on Foxglove's snout.

He shivered.

Foxglove shivered as she felt and sniffed Dale's cold paw.

_Life was so unfair._

She knew her loved one was right next to her, but even in her final moments, she was denied to see or hear him.

His touch was freezing, almost nonexistent.

His scent was weak.

Dale had run out of strength, as well as ideas.

He was next to Foxglove, but he, too, was denied actual sensory contact, save that of a fading touch and a fading scent.

It was all over.

Foxglove began gasping erratically as her body fought its imminent final shutdown.

Dale, too, gasped in an uneven rhythm as his body convulsed in the death throes.

Both were gasping so hard that neither could say anything.

They were denied a final Good-bye…

…a final I Love You…

…a final Hug…

…a final Kiss…

…a final Touch…

…a final Sniff…

…a final Echo…

…a final Look…

Dale's life flashed before his eyes.

He saw his early life in the forest, his first meeting with Chip, their times in school, their constant battles over females, their meeting with an angry white duck, their rescue of a beaver, their move to New York, their meeting with Plato, their first case, the night at the drive-in, his meeting with Foxglove, his initial reactions, her sudden departure, his failed attempts to win Gadget over, all the painful words and actions done to him, Foxglove's return, her kidnapping, falling in love with her, their times together, the tragic night, all that brought him to this point—

Foxglove's life flashed/resounded before her eyes/ears.

She saw/heard herself hanging on to something soft and furry, a sudden blow, a moment in a bush, flying aimlessly throughout the state, trying to find a place to fit in, an encounter with a snake, her meeting with Winifred, the first time she heard Dale, his initial rejection, her pain and desperation, her time in the steeple, her hesitant return, her theft and her kidnapping, when Dale finally fell for her, their year together, his proposal, the night with Fat Cat, the horrible break-up, her time away, all that brought her to this point—

And then, once again, something strange happened to Foxglove.

This time, it was with a definite _déjà-vu_.

With death now imminent, words formed in her mind as well as her heart once more; words which she suddenly remembered reciting alone, heavily injured, in a cage, in an abandoned office, one year ago; words that she had never heard nor read nor spoken before then, words that held no clear meaning to her; words that were in a language she had yet to learn, and yet; words that she knew would prepare her for Beyond.

Suddenly receiving a final surge of strength, her ears and tail perked up as she prepared to recite in an "A Elbereth Gilthoniel!" fashion—

The _déjà-vu_ abruptly stopped when she heard Dale unexpectedly perk his ears and gasp first:

_"Modeh…'ani lefanekha…HaShem…'Eloqay v'Eloqei…'Avotay…sherefu'ati umiytati…veyadekha…!"_

It was certainly _not_ the same words she recited last year, but she was surprised once more when she heard herself add, _"Yehi…ratzon…m-millefanekha shetrappe'eini…refu'ah…sh…sheleimah…!"_

Dale continued, surprising himself by how easily the words flowed, with only minor stuttering from his part, _"…Ve'im…'amut…"_ they both shivered for some reason here, _"…t-t-tehei'…miytati…khapparah…!…'al kol…ch-chata'im…'avonot…!"_

It was almost as if they themselves were silent, and someone else was speaking from Beyond, through them.

They were hearing each other as if from a great distance, and yet each word came loud and clear.

Foxglove trembled, _"…Ufesha'im…sh…she…shechata'ti…!…veshe'aviti…!…veshepasha'ti…lefanekha…!"_

They couldn't even say their final words in a dignified manner.

Dale gasped, _"…Vetein chelqi…!…veGan 'Eden…!…vezakkeini…l-l-le'olam haba'…!…hatzafunlatzaddiqim…!"_

And finally, Foxglove cried out, _"'Al cheit'…!…shechata'nu…!…lefanekha be'ones…!…uveratzon…!"_

Dale added, with his final surge suddenly fading out, _"…Ve'al…cheit'…shechata'nu…lefanekha…b'immutz…h-h-h-h-h-halev…ha…lev…ha…le…"_

His ears and tail fell limp one last time.

He began gasping and convulsing weakly, unable to continue.

Foxglove's features also fell as she, too, faded out, _"…'Al…cheit'…'al…cheit'…sh…shechata'nu…le…le…lefane…kha…le…fa…ne…"_

Neither was surprised that they were denied yet again, denied of finishing their final words.

Foxglove also began gasping and convulsing more and more weakly.

Their gasps were shallow, their convulsions reduced to minor twitches, and their eyes were finally completely covered with the death-mist.

And yet, among all that was denied to them, two glimmers of comfort remained.

One was that the curse from Hell would die with Dale, finally, once and for all, forever and ever, and no one else would have to suffer from it again.

And the other was that while they knew that their friends would have a horrible and depressing time finding them and putting them to rest, Dale and Foxglove would at least leave this life together, and in each other's arms/wings.

This life, this _pathetic_ life filled with denials, heartbreak, depression, sickness, torment, not worth a gnat's wing or a bark splinter…

Their gasps became weaker and more and more spaced.

Slowly, Dale's arms lowered and rested between him and Foxglove, while her wing contracted and fell limp behind him.

Her head drifted to her right and came to rest on his shoulder.

Her weight tilted him toward her, with his cracked nose resting on her forehead.

Their final memories would be of their touch, of their scents, of their last breaths softly blowing through each other's fur…

Dale gave one final gasp and shudder…

Foxglove gave one final gasp and shudder…

The chipmunk exhaled one last time…

The batmaid exhaled one last time…

Darkness enveloped them…

An _empty_ darkness…

A _rushing_ darkness…

And finally…

…_oblivion_…

And with that, Dale Hastahah Oakmont, formerly Dale Segoleh Oakmont, Fightmaster/Body-Builder/Cook/Mechanic/Stealth Expert/Detective/Rescue Ranger, former Fiancé/Romeo/Entertainment Expert/Goof-up/Klutz/Clown/Comedian—

Died.

And Foxglove, Interpreter/Desesperada, former Language and Acoustics Engineer/Bride/Fiancée/Rescue Ranger, and even former Witch's Assistant Trainee/Thief/Pretender—

Died as well…


	31. EIKOSIOKTO ALPHA — JUST AN EMPTY SPACE

**EIKOSIOKTO-ALPHA — JUST AN EMPTY SPACE**

_White…_

And nothing _but_ white…

Though there was some shading that more or less defined a floor and walls, there were no definite borders that marked where one ended and the other began.

That, and a white mist seemed to blend everything together, too.

Including the batmaid and chipmunk that faded in from said mist.

The two were standing a short distance away from each other, unsure of what had just happened.

Neither had bandages nor braces, they could see, hear, and echosound clearly, and they stood straight, free from pain—

Were they dead?

Was this how the Beyond began?

However, when they saw/heard that Dale was still wearing his grey shirt, they wondered if they were truly dead.

And then, they noticed each other.

Neither dared to look/echosound at each other; the shame of their behaviour and decisions was simply too much for either of them to bear, and while they could stand up straight without any problems…

…the fact that everything they did had very much _killed them_ rendered them unable to face each other, despite the love they had.

There was nothing left to do.

There was nothing left to say.

It was too late.

With his olfactory abilities now functioning fully again, however, Dale could now smell her very clearly.

_Too_ clearly, in fact, since they were the only ones there, and her scent was overpowering him.

He had to get away; he couldn't be here with her…

_…he didn't deserve her._

Lowering his head, he turned and began padding away.

Foxglove panicked once more.

She didn't want to lose him again, but she had no idea what to do or say!

Until, once more, music began to rise from the depths of her heart.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=wuvtoyVi7vY )

She still didn't turn to him fully; nevertheless, she scowled,

_"How can I just let you walk away?"_ She sang to him, remembering. Dale stopped, and his chest began hurting again.

_"Just let you leave without a trace?" _Without even giving her, or himself, the chance to speak.

_ "When I stand here taking every breath,"_ She looked up for a moment, her chest filling with pain as well, too.

_"With you…oo?"_ And looked back at him. She could smell him perfectly well, too.

_"You're the only one who really knew me at all…"_ She balled up her wings to her chest for a moment.

Dale scowled. He, too, felt the music swell from within him, so he spread his arms, still not facing her, and replied,

_"How can you just walk away from me?"_ He looked up, angry, remembering when she flew away,

_"When all I can do is watch you leave?"_ It was a mutual break-up, not a one-sided one.

_"'Cause we shared the laughter and the pain,"_ Though the pain of that night seemed to overwhelm all the previous laughter.

_"And even shared the tears."_ His eyes began to water. He sighed, turning slightly to her,

_"You're the only one who really knew me at all."_ Not even Chip knew him like Foxglove did.

She, in response, also turned slightly, and spread her wings, presenting herself to him, almost shrugging:

_"So take a look at me now:"_ She held one wing over her heart,

_"There's just an empty space."_ She shook her head, squeezing her eyes in pain,

_"There's nothing left here to remind me!"_ She opened her eyes, glancing at him,

_"Just the memory of your face!"_ Of how its echo was enough to win her over.

Dale, however, turned a bit more and pointed angrily at himself repeatedly,

_"Oh? Take a look at me now!"_ He waved one paw down the length of his whole torso,

_"There's just an empty space."_ His whole self had been broken, not just his heart. He then gestured at her and himself, and then shook his head,

_"And you coming back to me—!_

_ Is against the odds!"_ He turned away a bit, closing his eyes.

_"And that's what I've got to faaace…"_

Silence.

Foxglove's eyes flashed with anger and tears, and she balled her wings again, furious that he refused to do something as simple as what Otis had asked him to do earlier:

_"I wish I could just make you turn around—!"_ Both pointed angrily at themselves,

_"—Turn around and see me cry—!"_ they shouted. _It goes both ways, Foxglove! _Calming down, she extended her wings in front of her, pleading,

_"There's so much I need to say to you,"_ He looked aside, while she looked up,

_"So many reasons why…"_ they both said. Turning slightly to him, she echoed,

_"You're the only one who really knew me at all."_ _Not Freddie, not my new family, not Otis, no one but you, Cute Stuff._

She pointed at herself:

_"So take a look at me now!"_ She balled her wing to her chest,

_"Well, there's just an empty space."_ She hunched over a trifle, as the pain in her heart deepened again,

"_There's nothing left here to remind me!"_ The black hole was there again, overriding all other feelings.

_"Just the memory of your face!"_ The memory of her echo was all that pulled her through.

Suddenly, he turned fully toward her, practically demanding her to do the same,

_"Now, take a look at me now!"_ And he pointed to his _head_ now. All of this had happened due to his stupidity,

_"'Cause theeeere's just an empty space!"_ She gasped at his self-depreciation, and as he pointed at her, accusingly,

_"But to wait for you—!_

_ Is all I can do!"_ Trembling, he wiped a tear from his eye.

_"And that's what I've got to face!"_ Desperately, he pointed to himself again,

_"Take-a-good-look-at-me-**now**!"_ She turned fully now, defying him. He pointed at the ground,

_"'Cause **IIIIII'LL** still be standing here!"_ Both shook their heads and cried,

_"And you coming **back**-to-me—!_

_ Is against all odds!_

_It's the chance I've got to taaaake…"_

They turned away.

So close, and yet so far.

And then, she heard him plead,

_"Take a look at me now…"_

They turned to each other, and saw a very faint spark light up in each other's eyes.

Slowly, they padded to each other, still ashamed, but nevertheless, with determination.

They began to cry and embrace just when the light of the place they were in seemed to overwhelm them, and everything, and then everything faded into complete whiteness…


	32. EIKOSIOKTO BETA — REQUEST APPROVED

**EIKOSIOKTO-BETA — REQUEST APPROVED**

Slowly, their bodies cooled off, and began to stiff—

**_ BAQASHATKHEM 'USHERAH, BEVAQASHAH LESHAMMESHAH BECHOKHMAH—_**

Suddenly, the rodent and the chiropterid gasped, flipping their ears up and snapping their eyes open.

They were sitting together on the floor, in a large and very well lit room, which was filled with small light bulbs of different shapes and colours, lighting fixtures, and mounts of several types, but mostly for stage lighting. There were also several small-mammal-sized guitars, keyboards, and other instruments.

A chair had fallen on its side some distance from them.

They turned and looked/echosounded at each other, with utmost confusion and fright in their eyes.

Neither was quite sure Who had said those last words, much less what they meant.

But when they realised who they both were and why they were here—

Foxglove was about to plead with him to take her back—

Dale was about to tell her off once and for all—

But then, they suddenly hugged each other, laid back their ears—

And _cried_.

They cried, cried, and _cried_, like they had never cried before, thoroughly dampening each other's left cheek and shoulder.

Crying all the tears that had been held back since their parting:

Crying because of the pain of their broken hearts.

Crying because they had missed each other.

Crying because of all the physical pain they had felt.

Crying because of all the rejection they had received, from each other, and from their friends.

Crying because Foxglove's parents were killed.

Crying because Dale had pulverised yet another heart.

Crying because a living creature had died because of them.

Crying because the songs they sang were beautiful.

Crying because all the efforts to get back together had been futile.

Crying because they had no idea what had just happened and they were incredibly scared.

Crying because they both knew that they would _never_ get back together, _never_ to become Husband and Wife.

Crying even more intensely than when they cried on the night Dale let her go.

_Crying for what seemed like an eternity…_

And then, something began forming deep within their abdomens.

Slowly, at first.

They both ignored it from the start, but it gradually increased in intensity.

A light tickling?

No, a _definite_ tickling.

Odd, no one was tickling each other at this point.

But the tickling intensified, more and more and _more_ and _more_ and **_more_**.

It then became a definite _bubbling_, which arose from the pit of their bellies, and it increased exponentially, rising up their torsos and into their heads, making them think they were both going to explode—

For no apparent reason, the tamias and the pipistrell began to _laugh_.

Not only that, but they began laughing almost as hard as they were crying a moment ago.

Laughing so hard, in fact, that they both began to sweat from their abdominal exertions.

Still in a tight embrace, they continued their spontaneous hilarity, but the laughter was so intense that their arms/wings actually weakened in their grip, transferring all energy to their diaphragms.

And yet, it seemed to them that as they continued laughing, their strength was somehow building up, with all the pain slowly fading away.

Foxglove didn't know what she was laughing at, nor what she found so funny. Then again, she had never heard Dale laugh so hard or so loud. And he sounded _so funny_ when he laughed!

And also, he _had_ gotten stronger, as she felt him embrace her tighter than what she remembered.

Dale did not remember seeing or hearing anything funny today, or in the last months, either. But here he was, laughing, and enjoying it, and Foxglove was laughing as well. Maybe it was the way she sounded when she laughed that was causing him to laugh so.

Not that he minded, because he _liked_ hearing her laugh.

They kept laughing and bouncing and shaking on each other, and their eyes now cried tears of laughter. Both wondered if it was going to make them lose control of _other_ corporal functions…

And after what seemed like an eternity of hilarity, their guffaws calmed down to soft giggles, which still shook them a trifle.

They released each other, and sat back again.

It was here that Foxglove noticed something. All the previous pain she felt, in her joints, in her chest, and in her throat, was now gone. She could see, hear, and echosound clearly, and her ears and tail moved without hassle. Her stomach was a trifle sore from all the laughter, but, she felt…_fine…_for some reason.

What was more, it seemed that the brace Dale had on his snout had fallen off. She _heard_ the echo of the brace on the floor…

…and her right shoulder was _perfectly fine_, too…

Dale could breathe deeply and freely now. All his joints moved with ease. He could wiggle his ears and quiver his tail again. He brought one paw to his chest, and pressed lightly. His ribs no longer hurt—

His chest brace was _gone_.

His eyes and his other paw informed him that his snout brace was also gone, _and_ that his nose was straight again, _and_ that it no longer hurt, either.

He did a double take on the floor, and saw that his snout and chest braces were there, among all the bandages he was wearing a few minutes ago.

He looked over at Foxglove, and, she too, was bandage free.

Her bindings were beside her as well.

That was enough to get him slightly scared again, and he laid his ears back.

Finally, he spoke, and was surprised to hear himself speak quite clearly and normally, if just a trifle nervously, "Foxy, w-w-what happened?"

The batmaid felt in the clouds again as her loved one's voice fill her ears again, as she heard him say her name, without impediment.

Still, she had to reply, also with slightly frightened ears, "I…I don't know, Dale…and…I'm not sure I actually _want_ to know." Hey, her voice worked in _all_ frequencies again!

The chipmunk also felt a trifle light-headed when he heard her voice again.

He sniffed and giggled a trifle, trying unsuccessfully to sound serious, "Foxy—he he!—um…did we just die and come back again?"

The verspetilionid thought for a moment, trying to come up with any explanation of their previous experience.

She, too, sniffed and giggled, wiping some sweat and tears from her face with her newly restored right wing, "Dale…Cute Stuff…I—mwhe he he he!—I think…we _did_…but if we came back—kha!—if we were _brought_ back…it must have been for a _very_ good reason—ha ha!—ahem…!"

The sciurid chuckled a trifle, still trying to get serious.

_ Maybe pure and flat-out seriousness wasn't an integral part of him anymore._

"And—ha ha!—what reason would _that_ be?"

The expression on his face was a comical mix of slight fright, bewilderment, relief, and joy. He also wiped some tears and sweat off his face, contorting it slightly.

Foxglove almost broke up in laughter again.

"I'm…I'm—har har har!—not sure…!"

They looked/echosounded at each other's eyes again.

They breathed deeply again, savouring each other's restored scents.

Too confused to speak, they raised their ears and just looked/echosounded at each other, seeing/hearing relief and love in their eye reflections/facial echo.

"Dale…I…I _can't_ live without you…_literally_!" she finally declared, as seriously as she could, but still unable to remove the smile from her face.

Dale just looked at her.

That statement had been proven to its maximum extent, and he knew that. He also knew that it was _also_ the same on _his_ side of things.

But before he could reply, Foxglove did something to further increase his confusion.

With both of her wings, she took hold of his right paw, and brought it close to her face.

With a newly restored nimbleness on her wingtips, she carefully extended all his digits, and took hold of his thumb.

Dale was careful to loosen up his arm and paw so she could do that, but he couldn't help but feel just slightly apprehensive of whatever she was doing.

And then, Foxglove lowered her head, laid her ears back, closed her eyes…

_ …and kissed Dale's thumb._

He shivered, but not because of any previous sickness.

Foxglove looked up at him again, raising her ears and quivering her tail, smiling, with her eyes glistening, waiting for his response to her newly restored instinct.

He wasn't sure _what_ to respond to that action.

He wasn't sure if he still wanted to blow her off now.

He wasn't sure if that kiss felt good or just plain weird.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to give her the biggest kiss ever, on her lips, of course.

He wasn't sure of _anything_ now.

So instead, he just embraced her tightly again, without fearing for cracked ribs now.

His ears were at full attention, and his tail was now a complete blur.

And he wasn't sure if he wanted this moment to end—

_ …and if you only hold me tight, we'll be holding on forever…_

Tears flowed again, from both of them…


	33. EIKOSIENNEA — RESURRECTION

**EIKOSIENNEA — RESURRECTION**

The applause had settled down long ago, and the rodents, chiropterids, dipterid, and the paseriform were sitting in three tables brought close together.

Clarice's band had politely gone backstage, for they too, knew that something quite big had happened to their sciurid friend's friends.

They had agreed on having dinner, which they ate in worried silence.

Now, with their dirty plates having been removed long ago, Chip kept glancing at the stage door; his thoughts on Gadget placed on hold for the moment.

After turning toward it for the _nth_ time, he decided he had waited enough and stood on his foot-paws—

"Settle down, Chippah," said Monterey, sitting him down with a heavy paw. "For the last time, this is somethin' between Dale 'n Foxy!"

Chip laid his ears down, stiffened his tail, and glared at the murid, "Monty, the last time this happened it took Dale 30 hours to return, and when he did, he came back _without her_. I am _not_ going to sit here and wait for that to happen again!"

"Now, Chip, it's not as if they can sneak out of here," said Clarice. "My friends are guarding the back door, and if anyone tried to leave that way, they would have stopped them and come and told me. And we can't exactly miss them leaving through the _front_ door, can we?"

Gadget was on Chip's side, however. With worried ears, she said, "But that's not all, Clarice! You saw Foxglove's condition! She needed a doctor right away! And you _know_ that she _and_ Dale were dying!"

She was also worried that she might miss her chance to ask Dale for forgiveness for what she said about him and right now she could bonk herself for not having the guts to tell him that earlier because she had no idea how to do that even though all this time she had been racking her brain trying to figure out a plan to do that and it was frustrating her like never before because for the first time she _couldn't_ come up with a solution to something which seemed so _simple_—

"And it _has_ been awfully quiet back there," added Otis, also quite worried.

"Otis, even for _us_ it's difficult to tune out sounds. With all the ambient music, even _you_ must admit that you can't hear what's going on back there!" said Richard, somewhat sternly, with his ears emphasising his point.

The young pipistrell just echosounded toward backstage, trying to discern _anything_.

"Maybe youah friends should at least check on dem," suggested Chirp Sing.

"But Dale was in a lot better shape than Foxglove was, and he would have come out if something had happened to her," explained Clarice. "And my friends would have seen him first, too! Guys, just give them a little more tim—"

The verspetilionids suddenly perked up their ears, and turned toward the stage, causing everyone to do the same thing.

The female shrew was poking her head out a little, and was saying something to the chipmunks, fly, mice, bats, and nightingale, but none of them could hear her, except the bats, and then she went backstage again.

Clarice looked at Rosie and asked, "Well?"

The bats had gone into a deep blush.

Rosie hesitated for a moment before replying, and then she stuttered, "Um…guys…have any of you considered…that it's quiet back there…because…because…Dale and Foxy…may be…um…well…" she trailed off.

"Dead?" asked Gadget, almost panicking.

That wasn't what the rest were thinking, seeing just how deep the bats' blush was and how low their ears and tail were.

Chip looked at Monterey.

The mouse had been through a lot, and he had seen a lot, and he was certainly not proud of some decisions he had made.

Considering the circumstances, it _was_ a possibility.

Chip wondered if Dale could actually lose control of himself like that, _especially_ after what Foxglove sang to him.

It _was_ a suggestive song, after all, and both were desperate as well.

It was _wrong_, yes, and certainly not justifiable, with all the values they had been raised on. But just maybe it was possible—

"Laughing," Richard told Gadget. "The band heard _laughing_."

She thought for a moment, and asked, "But why would Dale and Foxglove be laughing? They're both in a very serious condition."

Richard blinked at her, and then turned to Chip.

The chipmunk just shook his head.

"Are you sure the band heard _them_ laughing?" asked the mousemaid.

Before anyone could reply, the audience began murmuring again, and the murmur quickly ascended into yet another round of deafening applause and cheering.

The others turned toward the stage door and saw/heard—

A chipmunk and a batmaid, covered in sweat, paw in wing, ears up, tails quivering, smiling, and waving at them.

_ Oh dear…_

"Laughing," repeated Gadget, with everything becoming clear to her now, as her ears lowered and her face blushed.

Yes, she also disapproved of it, and while she certainly wasn't trying to justify it, Foxglove's moral upbringing wasn't very well defined, to her at least, and who knows what else she did during her absence.

It was wrong, a mistake, but it had been done, unfortunately.

The rodents, dipterid, chiropterids, and paseriform stood and shuffled/padded/flew/hopped toward the couple—

Something wasn't right.

Chip took a _very_ close look at the couple.

If he recalled correctly, _everyone_ had a recent run-in with an owl, which left them _very_ heavily injured.

Hence, _all_ of the Rescue Rangers, and those they rescued, went to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.

Their injuries were quite serious, especially Dale's and Foxglove's, for they had several broken bones and a considerable number of dislocated joints.

Hence, when they arrived here earlier, _everyone_ had bandages taped to their fur, or wrapped around them, in one place or another.

But those two had more reminders than all of them _combined_—

_ Had._

They _had_ reminders.

That is, they _used_ to have reminders—

"Dale, what happened to your snout brace?"

"And all your bandages?" added Otis.

Dale looked at Chip with the most sincerely ignorant expression he had ever made. He took a deep breath, waited a moment, and replied, "Chip, when I find out the answer to your question…I will answer it…all I can tell you right now is that somethin' happened to us back there that we can't explain. And…we're not sure if we _want_ to understand and explain it just yet. I mean, as Rangers, we've encountered a few things that we never could explain, and whatever happened to us…well, I guess it fits into that category. But all we know is that all the pain is gone, all the arthritis is gone, and all our injuries are gone. And we don't know how or why."

Chip looked back at him. He was never one who simply let mysteries just be.

The tone Dale was speaking in, however, was making him think otherwise.

But there was another query concerning them.

"Dale, what were you two doing back there?"

Dale looked at Foxglove, and then back at his best friend.

"Laughin'."

Maybe it was because Dale was smiling for the first time in months that Chip was getting tremendously suspicious.

"And crying," added Foxglove, wiping another tear and causing everyone's suspicion levels to stop.

"Crying?" asked Zipper.

It was then when they finally noticed their matted facial fur.

Richard and Rosie padded up to them and sniffed carefully, yet discreetly.

With a relieved sigh, they turned back to the others and said, "It's okay. That's all they did. Laugh and cry."

"Of _course_ we did!" said Dale, rather annoyed, laying his ears back and stiffening his tail. "What _else_ did you think we did back there?"

Chip stuttered, with ashamed ears and tail, "Well, Dale…with what that last song said…and you two were taking so long…and the band told us they heard…and you're all sweaty…well…sorry if we thought otherwise."

"Well, Chip, don't worry. We won't spoil anything for us anymore. All we did was laugh and cry," said Foxglove.

"And die," added Dale, quite naturally, eliciting raised ears and eyebrows from the listeners.

"And resurrect," added Foxglove, also in a natural tone, confusing them still more.

"Resurrect?" asked Monterey.

"In more ways than one," replied Dale. "Somethin' happened back there, and we're not quite sure what, but it made us—it made _me_ realise—that I have been foolin' myself all along."

Monterey asked, "You don't mean—?"

"Yup. But first, I want to thank all of you for what ya'll did. Clarice, I know you set up the songs, and we can't thank you enough for that. Thank you all, for helpin' us. Now then…"

Dale then turned to Foxglove, who was more than surprised to see and hear him get down on one knee, take hold of her now painless right wing, and ask one more time, and this time without hesitation, doubt, or with the volume or pitch fading out:

"Foxglove, do you think maybe you'd mind very much if you kinda sorta maybe just married me a little bit?"

The batmaid inhaled like never before and was so shocked and overjoyed at that question that for a moment she actually forgot how to speak.

But she had to control herself.

She had to control her response!

_"I…I…I…DON'T…KNOW!"_ she finally shook, pulling her wings away from the chipmunk, folding them to her chest, and turning away from him, contorting her face so she wouldn't squeal her acceptance.

She also had to forcefully stiffen her ears and tail.

That shocked Dale to infinite levels, as well as everyone else.

He looked at her incredulously, with his jaw sagging, ears drooped, and tail frozen again, and tried to ask while pointing around awkwardly, "B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-but wh-wh-wh-wh-why? A-a-a-a-a-a-after all we…you…back there…!"

Foxglove growled, trying not to smile, "I…I fell in love with a _Comedian_! And from all I've heard, that Comedian is dead!"

She humphed slightly, turning fully away from him, quivering a trifle.

Dale looked at her for a moment, calmed down, raised his ears, quivered his tail, and slowly stood, with the most determined expression on his face.

"Is he now," he growled sinisterly, sending shivers through her body. "Take a seat then, _Interpreter_."

Foxglove didn't know whether to feel scared or excited, or both, with that tone of voice he was using, so she hastily did as she was told, with the others following.

For a moment, the other Rangers felt just a twinge of jealousy at the couple. They were able to move with grace and nimbleness, while the rest were still plagued with that annoying arthritis.

Dale then padded toward the stage.

The squirrel emcee was standing just below the stage, watching them from a distance, and then he saw the chipmunk pad toward him.

Dale padded up, looked at him in the eye, and asked with a dangerously low voice, _"GIVE ME…A MICROPHONE…NOW."_

His voice was so low that the emcee thought he was listening to a lion. He nodded in fright, laid his ears and tail back, swirled, and tumbled onto the stage, searching for the requested equipment. He finally grabbed one that was on the floor, and he stood and turned to hand it to the tamias—

Dale was suddenly next to him, causing the sciurus to gasp in fright.

_"THANKS,"_ he growled, slowly taking the mike from the squirrel's paws.

He then turned toward the audience and was about to say something, but then he turned to his right again.

The squirrel was still there, frozen in place.

The chipmunk scowled at him and ordered, _"YOU CAN GET OFF NOW."_

A frightened sciurus hastily made his way off the stage.

Dale turned to the audience once more, and he saw the Rangers, the bats, Clarice, and Chirp Sing at their tables now. The rest of the audience was now turning toward him as well.

He was about to say something, but there was something wrong, something missing, and he couldn't figure out what it was.

Suddenly, Monterey stood and hollered, "Hey, mate! If yer goin' to do this, yer goin' to need _this_!"

The murid then pulled something from his jacket and tossed it at the chipmunk onstage. It was—

"Monty, what were you doing with Dale's Hawaiian shirt?" asked Zipper.

The mouse looked at his best friend and replied, "Jus' followin' Chippah's advice. It always pays to be prepared."

"And how long did you have that shirt with you?" asked Chip.

"Let's jus' say from the day the Comedian left. I always knew that 'e would come back one day. Never lost faith. You can't change who you really are. You never can, mates."

The mouse sat again, with raised ears and a satisfied smile.

"Thanks, Monty!" chattered Dale.

He fumbled with his old shirt and the microphone for a moment.

Foxglove, meanwhile, had her ears straight up, her tail in a blur, and her heart racing once more as lascivious thoughts rushed through her brain.

Dale was going to _strip_ in front of _everyone_?

Her hopes were dashed when she heard Dale pad up to the emcee and say, "Hold this for a moment, please," while handing him the microphone.

He then padded off stage right, just behind the curtain.

Several moments later, the emcee heard from stage right, "Well, what are you waiting for? Introduce me!"

The squirrel was shaken from his fright-trance and returned to emcee mode again.

He perked his ears up and tail, jumped to the stage, ran toward stage right, spoke with Dale for a moment, and then he turned back to the audience.

The lights dimmed and the stage lights turned on him once more, "Males and females, it's The Nutshell Club's honour to present our next number! He's a Comedian, native of New York, and just recently came back from the dead—I mean—retirement! Will you all welcome with me, Mister Dale Segoleh Oakmont!"

Chip's ears relaxed as he sighed in immense relief when he heard Dale's original middle name.

He stood and applauded, and the rest did the same, as Dale, now wearing his trademark shirt, padded out on stage.

He was holding his grey shirt with his right paw, and he took the microphone from the emcee with his left. He shifted a bit, because with all his larger muscles his old shirt felt just a trifle small around the shoulders.

He then turned toward his loved one, whirled his right arm a few times, and tossed his grey shirt toward her.

Foxglove caught it and clutched it to herself, as if it were a treasure. She inhaled his scent deeply for a moment, and then turned her attention back to the stage, to the Comedian, to _her_ Comedian.

The applause died, and the Comedian began speaking, or at least that's what everyone thought he was doing. His mouth was moving, but no one could hear a sound he was making.

Foxglove and all the other bats present strained their ears trying to capture what he was trying to say. And he appeared to be saying something _very_ interesting, because he was gesturing towards her and waving his arms and moving his ears and tail all over the place and making all sorts of expressions and even laughing.

Strange, even with a broken microphone, they would _at least_ be able to hear some sort of _whispering_—

Dale looked at the confused audience, and began looking confused himself.

He glanced at his microphone for a moment, tapped it, but no sound came out of it.

Finally, he turned to stage left and hollered, _"HEY, COULD YOU GET ME ANOTHER MIKE? I CAN'T EVEN HEAR MYSELF WITH THIS ONE!"_

Practically everyone jumped at his outburst, especially the bats. And they all laughed at his little practical joke.

The emcee himself sat back down because he was _about_ to get him another microphone.

Dale continued, with happy ears and tail, "Just kiddin'. Good evenin', everyone, as you just heard, my name is Dale Segoleh Oakmont—"

He waited for a moment, looking at the audience a bit confused-like.

"No, I'm not the evil twin brother of the guy Clarice introduced a while back!"

It was mostly his way of speaking that was eliciting laughter from the audience.

"Yes, you all saw me before: I had all the braces and bandages on myself, and now I don't, and if you want to know what happened, _please_ tell me as soon as you find out?"

He said that with the most pleading puppy-dog expression that was so comical and yet so tender that Foxglove didn't know whether to laugh or try to eat him.

Dale raised his ears again, "So, Clarice introduced me a while back, and I apologise for not standin' up, and I hope that _this_ 'stand up' makes up for that. Anyways, I'm a Rescue Ranger, Fightmaster, Body-Builder, Cook, Mechanic, Stealth Expert, Detective, Entertainment Expert, Goof-up, Klutz, Clown, Comedian, Romeo, and hopefully, a Fiancé," he looked longingly at Foxglove, "Though not necessarily in that or-der," he added.

"But right now I think I'll stick with the Comedian bit, after all, when have any of you seen a body-builder tell a joke while liftin' ten kilograms above his head?"

The audience laughed at that query.

"I mean, can you just imagine:"

Dale put the mike on its stand, hunched down, laid his ears back, stiffened his tail, and "lifted" an invisible dumbbell.

He did all his movements correctly, with his cheek pouches puffing out almost to his shoulders, and his face turning red as well.

The audience, naturally, took it all right in.

When Dale "jerked" and moved "under" the invisible bar, he slowly brought himself upright, teetered to the mike, and spoke with a _very_ strained voice, "Why…did…the chicken…cross…the road…?"

He was getting guffaws now, and even some screams as he swung and "threw" the invisible dumbbell to the audience.

He sighed a bit, raised his ears again, relaxed his tail, and continued, "You know, maybe those guys who were here a few weeks ago should have gone to the gym and brought their equipment here."

That was rewarded by laughs and applause as well.

The Comedian took the mike from the stand and said, "Anyways, I want to apologise for not comin' up here that night, but I was very dead at that time—"

He paused and let the confusion sink in for a moment.

"And if you don't believe me just ask my friends over here…but now, let me tell you a bit about myself. I like watchin' TV and reading comic books—wow, I'm your top-notch detective, aren't I?"

Even Chip had to laugh at that one.

"I love chocolate—wow, now _that_ really shows, doesn't it?" he asked, showing his slim profile to all.

Foxglove laughed and wanted to take that profile for herself _now_.

"And now I'm also a Stealth Expert. I was just solving a crime on 'The Don Ho Show'."

The audience guffawed again, and he continued, "Yes, loud Hawaiian shirts are the latest trend in camouflage fashion, ladies and gentlemen!"

He had to wait a trifle for the audience to settle down.

"I'm into the art of fencin'—I make fences—"

Pause for laughter, continue:

"No, not really. Fencin', as in…"

He pulled out an invisible rapier and swung it angrily while chattering, "_Fence! Fence! Fence! Gate! Door! Bell!"_

Foxglove could just cry.

Dale put away his invisible rapier neatly back in its invisible sheath.

"I'm a Rescue Ranger, and I tell you, puttin' all those rescues on the range gets pretty tirin' after a while—"

He then began singing for no reason,

_"Home, home on the range,_

_ Where the rescuin' rodents all play-Y—!"_

He hunched, laid his ears back, and gave a strained take as his voice cracked, causing some spit-takes in the audience.

He raised his ears again.

"I'm also a klutz. Yes, I'm a klutz. We went through ten sets of dishes the last time I insisted on cookin'…um—"

Time yourself, time yourself:

"So basically, with all my talents, I can make you laugh while scaring a cub with my rainbow wig as I get a pie I just cooked and smash it on my face while I break open a door with my sword to repair the lock later and trip over the door to give CPR to the guy who was in the closet chokin' himself without him even knowin' it was me and I tell you what he had for dinner two weeks ago and then I recommend him a good movie and then I go off and get married—you know, what a deal here—"

Chip had his ears down and his tail was a blur and was laughing and laughing and laughing—

"But enough about me; let me tell you now about my roommate and fearless leader, _Chip Maplewood_!"

Dale looked at him as he said his name almost gossip-like.

And Chip suddenly perked his ears up, held his tail still, and stopped laughing.

"Yes, you all saw him up here earlier, and you're goin' to see him again. Chip, could you stand up, please—"

Chip was about to oblige him, but then Dale quickly said, "Oh, no…waittaminute, I forgot you had a little problem here, sorry, you don't have to stand up."

He then turned to the rest of the audience and explained, "You see, he's afraid that if he stands up and everyone sees him, some of you might have the sudden urge to sing…"

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=5pNlMgH2p-Y )

Dale then sang a perfect _a cappella_ rendition of the opening of the "Indiana Jones Theme", a fragment, that is.

_Funny. That was actually funny!_ thought Chip, as he lowered his ears and quivered his tail again and laughed at himself.

"He's no archaeologist, but he has found plenty of treasures over the years…namely…_me_."

Chip just laughed and shook his head.

"He has a very interestin' personality, I mean where else can you find Sureluck Jones, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and Sergeant Slaughter all rolled into one?"

Chip kept it coming.

"But really, folks, I _really_ admire this guy. He's my best friend, after all. He's got me out of plenty of jams…and jellies…and marmalades…and syrups…and—"

Dale stopped for a moment, perking his ears up, as if he had just heard something _really_ weird.

"Wow, that's the first time I hear 500 stomachs rumble at the same time!"

The audience kept it coming, too.

"Anyways, Chip and I go back a long way, as Clarice can tell you. And another reason I admire him is that after we both very much harassed a duck for a year or two, Chip suddenly said, 'Hey, let's form a detective and rescue agency!' I mean, _what an inspiration_ that must have been, really…!"

Chip was laughing so hard his fedora almost fell off his head.

"But hey, don't ever get him mad, or he'll bonk you on the head…and you can bonk him back, but he won't feel anythin' because he has that fedora of his glued to his head and so it acts like a helmet, um…"

Still more guffaws.

Chip was laughing so hard now that he didn't notice the pain in his thigh and joints start to fade.

"So let's hear it for Chip Maplewood, males and females!"

Dale paused a moment to put the mike on the stand and clap at his best friend, who simply laughed and waved a paw at him, and then wiped a tear from his eye.

"But now, let's move on to _another_ dear friend of mine, whom you _also_ saw earlier, Gadget Hackwrench. Gadget, please do all the guys here a favour and stand up."

Blushing a trifle nervously, and with bashful ears and tail, Gadget stood, waved, and sat back down.

There were a few wolf calls, but Dale suddenly hushed them, ears down and tail stiff, "Hey, _SHHHHH_! That's my friend you're whistlin' at!"

He put on a slightly annoyed expression and added, "She's no wolf, she's a _mouse_, man! But really, I had my whistlin' days with her as well. And I'll never forget the first time we met. She was actually about to kill us because she thought we were _the ultimate incarnation of the most evil beings you could fathom_:" he spoke sinisterly, with low ears and tail, rubbing his paws.

Pause for effect:

_ "Salesmen."_

For the first time in her life, Gadget realised the absurdity of her behaviour.

So, she had no logical response to that.

She could only lay her ears back and laugh.

And as she did, she took hold of Chip's paw.

Dale raised his ears again.

"And for a long time Chip and I were trying to woo her…hey, doesn't that sound weird? 'Woo'? Who came up with that word? Did someone at the Royal English Academy suddenly say:"

He then laid his ears and tail down again and tried to speak with a British accent, "I sayy, I have the pehfect wohd that will mean 'to troi to win summeone's affactions.'

"And whot is it?

"'Woo.'

"'_Woo'_, jolly, that's pehhhfect, wot!"

Pause for laughter, raise ears and tail, and continue, with normal voice:

"So we were tryin' to…'woo' her, and I'll tell you, she is a _very_ complex mouse. She'll take a socket wrench over flowers and chocolates _any_ day!"

He looked at Gadget, and she was laughing and blushing like never before.

Pause for effect, give confused take, continue:

"I'll tell you, she can fix anythin', build anythin', install anythin'—hey, she can even _program a VCR_! Man, you can program your VCR and everyone thinks you're an alien or somethin'—hey, the FBI wanted to capture her _JUST FOR THAT REASON, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? YOU'D THINK THEY WOULD KNOW HOW TO PROGRAM THEIR OWN VCR'S!"_

Gadget couldn't help but feel better by laughing at that horrible experience she had a while back.

"Just don't ask her to cook, or everythin' will taste like machine oil, um—"

"Hey!" she called out, in mock anger, as the audience laughed.

"Sorry, Gadget. Well, the FBI actually wanted her for another stupid reason which wasn't her fault at all, but that's not important now."

No, it wasn't.

And it would never be again.

Gadget was finally free from that.

Thanks to the _Comedian_.

"But really, folks, she's a _very_ sweet girl who is _very_ intelligent and smells like ozone, crazy glue, axle grease, and strawberry jelly—"

"Golly, Chip, do I really?"

"S-s-s-sorry, Gadget, I…_pa ha ha ha ha ha ha_!"

"Hey, Gadget, don't worry, I know someone who won't trade that scent for _anythin'_ in the world! Uh, oh, I'd better stop with her, or she'll get mad. And you _don't_ want to see her mad, folks. Because if you make her mad, she won't bonk you."

Pause for the punch line.

"She'll tie you up to a rocket, launch it, and have it drag your tail all over the house until you _beg_ the police to take you to prison—amazin', isn't it?"

Gadget also cried, and didn't notice the pain fading away, either.

"Let's hear it for Gadget Hackwrench, males and females!"

The audience applauded, and Dale padded off the stage and over to Gadget, laid his ears back, hugged her, and kissed her cheek.

Foxglove heard that, and oddly enough, she did not feel jealous, though Dale's tail was wagging again.

She _knew_ Dale was simply being a _true_ friend.

Gadget then held Dale's paws, lowered her ears and tail, looked into his eyes, and cried, "Dale, I'm sorry for not taking your input seriously, and for thinking of it as worthless. I'm sorry for making you feel worthless and insignificant, and for not letting you be the detective you tried to be, and…and…for calling you a Goof-up back in Paris. Please forgive me."

"Forgive _us_, added Chip.

"_All_ of us," added Zipper.

Dale replied, "Gadget, guys, I forgave you a long time ago."

He was about to go back, but she held his paws firmly, and still kept her ears back and tail down, "Dale, I mean it! I never wanted to hurt you! I never knew that those things I said were so painful to you!"

"I…I know…but in many cases, you, and all of you guys…were…were right—"

"No, Dale! From now on, _all_ input from you will be considered the same way we consider everyone else's! And…Dale…all you had to do was to tell us—tell _me_: 'Gadget, you must know that what you just said about me has caused considerable emotional injury on my person.' Dale, you would not have hurt my feelings at all, and I would have immediately apologised and tried to make amends with you. You were always considerate of my feelings, and I should have been considerate of yours. I would have even let you bonk me if I thought I needed it!"

"Really?" asked both Chip and Dale.

"Yes. And if Chip would have then thought that _you_ were being inconsiderate of me and bonked _you_, I would have bonked _him_ twice as hard!"

She looked at her love sinisterly, causing Chip to shiver and lower his features.

She turned back to Dale, "Dale, again, forgive me for hurting you. If I ever do it again, please tell me right away."

Dale smiled.

"That goes double for me," added Monterey. "Specially the bonkin' part."

"Triple for me," added Zipper.

Chip concluded, "And because I very much started it, a quadruple for me."

Dale smiled and said, "Guys, Gadget, you're forgiven. Thanks."

They hugged, and Dale kissed Gadget's forehead.

Again, Foxglove did not feel jealous because as Dale bounced back to the stage, they all sat down and Gadget took hold of Chip's paw again.

Dale skipped back to the stage and continued, "Sorry for the delay, folks, we were just fixin' a few things there. But now let me tell you about my _other_ friend, 'Monterey' Jack Colby. Monty, could you stand, please?"

Monterey obliged, and he was applauded.

He sat down again.

"And from his name, you can probably guess what his favourite food is…broccoli…no, I mean—"

Pause for laughter, give "mistaken" take, continue.

"Monty is our resident cook and former globetrotter, and _man_ does he love cheese!"

He then turned to the mouse and explained, with ears down, tail stiff, and a "stern" tone, "Monty, _please_! You _do_ know there are other types of food out there besides cheese! I mean, folks, Monterey Jack is the only mouse I know who can make cheese out of roast beef, isn't that incredible?"

Pause for "response", continue.

"Here, Monty, I'll show you…"

He took the microphone again, padded to stage right, pulled out a thimble covered with a lid from behind the wall, and padded toward Monterey, pointing the thimble at him.

"Look here, these are cashews:"

He popped open the thimble with his thumb, and multicoloured spring-loaded snakes shot at the murid, causing him to lay his ears down, stiffen his tail, yelp, and almost fall back with his chair.

The audience nearly wet themselves.

"Wasn't that fun," asked Dale, monotone, ears up, tail still, and with a completely straight face.

Monterey laughed and laughed and laughed.

Dale padded pack to the stage and continued, "Ah, you gotta love that Monterey Jack. And you know folks, before I met Chip and became a Rescue Ranger, I've always wanted to see the world, like Monty has. But I could never afford it—like Monty. And what always got to me was that whenever I watched biographies of people on TV or readin' about them, was that _that_ has never stopped anyone else, right Monty? In fact, it's when they can _least afford it_ that they _really_ start travelin'. I mean, it's like, 'Alone, broke, and destitute, _AND HE EMBARKED ON A ROUND-THE-WORLD TOUR'!_ _AM I MISSIN' OUT ON SOMETHIN' HERE, MONTEREY JACK?"_

Monterey was guffawing like never before, and he, too was relieved of his arthritis pain.

"And, of course, don't get him mad, or he'll beat you up. Let's hear it for 'Monterey' Jack Colby, males and females!"

Pause for applause, next subject.

"And now we move on to our smallest Ranger, would you all give a paw to Mister Zipper Lightringer, please."

The audience clapped as Zipper hovered above the table—

_"OH, NO, ZIPPER, WAIT! STOP! EVERYONE STOP!"_

The audience, and Zipper, wondered what Dale was so worried about, and why he had his ears and tail down and was frantically gesturing for the audience to stop Zipper's ovation.

When the audience was settled, Dale raised his ears and tail again and explained, "Sorry, Zipper, buddy, but you wouldn't want to get splattered by your own applause, would ya?"

Zipper laughed like never before.

And the slight burning in his facial exoskeleton slowly began fading away.

"But seriously, folks, don't let Zipper's size fool you. I mean, he almost poked a _cat's_ eye out! So, don't trash his home—just throw trash in it, he loves it, really, um…"

Pause, continue.

"Zipper's my stealth mentor, and my sidekick if I should ever become a spy and need a sidekick. But you gotta love Zipper, otherwise he'll trip you and make you smear your face on his favourite food—"

Dramatic pause, hold it, lay ears and tail down, "grossed out" take, accept a few "grossed out" takes from the audience, deliver:

"Apple cores."

Foxglove was a bit relieved when she heard that particular punch line.

Her Comedian didn't need to resort to blatant double meaning, or to get nasty all of the sudden.

Dale paused for a moment to catch his breath, raised his ears and tail, and continued, "Zipper's Monty's best friend, and he has a big heart. So big, it's been medically proven to occupy 95% of his thorax and abdomen, um…"

Pause.

"And he's there when you're feeling down, when you _are_ down, and trust me; he won't miss the opportunity to be next to you if you happen to be _dead_, here…"

Zipper laughed and cried.

True, that had a hidden meaning, but he _knew_ what Dale meant.

"He's the world's strongest fly! Can lift fifty times his own weight! Can be practically invisible! No snake can swallow him…!"

Pause, wait for confused takes, continue:

"Yes, a snake tried to eat him once. That snake was then hit with the _true_ meaning of the saying, 'you are what you eat', when he tasted Zipper…"

Wait for guffaws, continue.

"Unfortunately, there are times when, because of his size, we kinda forget he's there. And Zipper, yes, we admit it, we _do_ forget sometimes. But even though we may forget, we'll never let you out of our hearts. You're small enough to fit there, after all, here…"

Pause.

"You may be small, but you pack enough energy to beat even the worst of bad guys. Zipper Lightringer, males and females, and please keep your paws down when you clap!"

The audience gave yet another ovation filled with laughter, and even clapped with their paws down as requested.

_ The Comedian was unstoppable now._

"And so, we're the Rescue Rangers, and we rescued Clarice and several others, as she told you earlier, but let me tell you that we would not have been able to do so by ourselves. So, let me introduce—again—my next victim—er— subject—er—fiancée—er—Ranger."

Pause.

"Would you all welcome once again, the female who sang her heart out so much that it nearly jumped out of her throat, the ultimate in beauty and sweetness—and she's so sweet she'll give you cavities—the greatest bat of all: _FOXGLOVE_!"

The pipistrell's heart was pounding so hard it was making her head throb, but without any actual pain.

She stood proudly for her Comedian.

The audience cheered immensely and gave even more wolf calls, causing her to blush all the blushes that had been repressed as well.

Dale just looked at her for a minute…

_ "…Luceeeeeeeeeelle…"_

And then he suddenly shook himself back to the present, trying hard to keep his ears up and tail still, amidst the sudden guffaws from the audience, Clarice, the bats, Chirp Sing, the Rescue Rangers, and his fiancée.

Both he and Foxglove were blushing like never before.

"Um, sorry about that, she kinda distracted me…but in a nice way. So…let me tell you about Foxglove. She chose that name for herself because she didn't like 'Orchid' very much…"

Pause.

"And there's no way she wanted to go through life constantly spelling out to _everyone_ the name: 'Chry'…'Chrysan'…'Chrysan'…"

Pause, brace yourself, deliver:

"'Chry-san-tha-na-ne-ne-mu-mun-um-anum…"

He said that last word with deliberate mumbling and fading and low ears, as well as with a _very_ exaggerated confused take, which the audience liked.

"Or somethin' like that," he finished among light laughs.

"Now some of you may be wonderin' if Foxy, a bat, actually works with Zipper, a fly. And just let me tell you: they do. Zipper, could you fly next to Foxy for a moment?"

The dipterid did so, and alighted on the chiropterid's shoulder.

"There, you see? A fly and a bat workin' together! She has never looked at him funny or nothin', they're great friends, believe me. Thank you, Zipper."

Foxglove even gave Zipper a small kiss on the cheek before he sat on the table again.

Dale then perked up his ears, looked at Foxglove strangely all of the sudden, and commented, "Gee, Foxy, I could hear your stomach growl from all the way over here! Man!"

Pause, wait for those two to stop guffawing, continue.

"Like most lovely females, she's a bit shy, so shy, that she began flirtin' with me within ten seconds of seein'—er—hearin' me—"

Pause again.

"And why did she start flirtin' with me all of the sudden? Well, I guess it has to do with how we met. I was fallin' from the top of a lamppost and she suddenly swooped down and caught me, savin' my life, and apparently, she liked what she heard. And I'll tell you, if when you're covered with bubble gum and smell like pizza with plenty of garlic _and_ candy _and_ are fallin' down from twenty feet in the air _and_ screamin' your lungs out, you then _sound so nice_ to a female that she suddenly falls in love with you no questions asked—"

Pause, let it sink in, let them laugh—

Dale looked at her again.

_ Gosh, those eyes are beautiful._

And they would only be focused on him now, forever and ever.

"Well," he continued, a trifle tenderly, "who wouldn't want to love her back?"

The couple looked/echosounded at each other, blocking out the audience, their friends, the distance between them—

"Let's hear it for Foxglove, males and females!"

Once more, the audience cheered.

Dale was then locked into eye contact again, and this time, he could not resist.

He put the mike away again, pranced off the stage, bounced to his love, ears down and tail in a blur, hugged her tightly, and gave her a light kiss on her lips.

Foxglove was almost bursting with passion now, as her ears and tail showed.

She didn't want his lips to leave hers, she didn't want his arms to let go of her—

_ …we'll be holding on forever…_

Her struggle to contain herself would have been lost if she had not kept in mind that they weren't married yet _and_ that they were in front of an audience.

Dale released her, and reluctantly, she let him go…for _now_, with her lips ablaze.

As Dale turned and padded back to the stage, the other bats were a bit surprised at just how loudly Foxglove was echosounding at Dale's backsi—

"_HUSH_, chiyild!" scolded Feyyanna, in ultrasound, stern, ears down, while holding her wing in front of Foxglove's muzzle, but smiling nonetheless. "Wayt 'teell thu hunnymoon!"

Foxglove was startled and shook her head a little, "Um, sorry," she replied, also in ultrasound. "But even _you_ must admit that you've never heard something quite like _that_ before!"

All the pipistrells blushed incredibly at that statement.

"Reyelly?" Feyyanna perked her ears up, leaned over and echosounded—

Foxglove suddenly covered Feyyanna's mouth with her right wing. "_Hey_! Get your _own_ chipmunk!"

Feyyanna chuckled and playfully wrestled Foxglove away from her, who playfully wrestled back, like two good sisters. Feyyanna kept trying to echosound at Dale before he turned around again, but every time she pushed Foxglove's wings down and took a deep breath, Foxglove's wings would suddenly smother her again.

_Nowe thiyis ees wonn a-jiyil bayat!_

Dale finally reached the microphone again and looked at the source of the disturbance.

"What's goin' on over there?"

Foxglove and Feyyanna suddenly stopped and looked at him.

They just gave him it's-okay-we're-only-playing smiles, released each other, raised their ears, held their tails still, and settled down.

_…Luceeeeeeeeeelle…_ thought Foxglove, even though she _still_ had not much information as to what that remark meant.

Dale shrugged and continued his attack.

He had it all planned now.

"Ahem…as I said, I fell in love with her, and we'll hopefully be gettin' married. Now won't that be interestin'? Two Rescue Rangers gettin' married? Our honeymoon will probably be spent tryin' to _foil_ a hotel robbery—we'll get aluminium foil and wrap the bad guys in it—"

Pause, let it sink in, continue.

"And later on we'll be havin' picnics at the police station, lookin' at each other's eyes while we beat up the bad guys—"

Pause.

"And just basically have romantic evenin's as we rescue animals from floods, fires, and what have you. It's gonna be a _great_ life, folks!"

He was saying that in a very excited manner, as his ears and tail showed.

And Foxglove _knew_ he wasn't being sarcastic.

While they would certainly take their time with their friends and their duties, they knew they would have plenty of time for themselves.

Dale continued, "And that's just the tip of the iceberg! I mean, are there any mixed-species couples, here?"

The Comedian raised his paw and peered out to the audience.

A few mammals raised their paws: Squirrels and mice, mice and gerbils, even a fruit bat and a fox-nosed bat, but no chipmunk and bat.

The Comedian continued, "Gosh, Foxy, it looks like we're goin' to be breakin' new ground! And it looks like we'll have to flip a coin to decide whether to sleep either horizontally or upside-down and during the day or the night, um—"

Pause.

"And I can just imagine our first fight: 'You good for nothin' husband! All you do is sleep all night!'"

Pause to let them get the joke, wait for guffaws, continue.

"And, of course, I'll never be able to sneak in at night—er—day, cause she'll be asleep durin' the day—but I'll still won't be able to sneak in cause she can hear me breathin' a mile away—"

Pause, lower ears and tail, give "disappointed" take, raise ears and tail again, continue.

"Actually, the only way I'll be able to sneak up on her is if we have a _huge_ thunderstorm going _and_ if she's already screamin' her heart out at somethin' else—"

Pause, hold it.

And their night with Strigidæ was forever placed behind them with that joke.

Continue.

"We also have _no_ idea of what the cubs will look like. I suppose I'll be feedin' my cub by throwin' acorns at him while he's flyin'—"

Pause.

Yes, it was going to be new, and scary.

But Foxglove wanted it.

If it was with Dale, she would take whatever was in store for her.

"Anyways, my folks are okay with it, though I know that there will be some chipmunks and bats out there who're gonna make a fuss out of all this—they're goin' to take all our pictures and turn them into fuss-balls, here—"

Pause.

"But hey, it's not as if I'm marryin' an _elephant_, gimme a break here—"

Pause, wait for clapping, continue.

"Animal society is a lot like human society: _sick_."

Lower ears and tail, give "sick" take, pause again, raise ears and tail.

"I mean, both are crime ridden, both are filled with extremists, both have mad scientists, both have lunatics, both have chocolate, and both have lunatics tryin' to take over the world by usin' _chocolate_—"

Confused take, pause.

_ The audience was putty in his paws now._

"As Rescue Rangers, we've met the _weirdest_ of bad guys, human _and_ animal. _So_ weird, that we have to get just as weird to defeat them. We met this cat who wanted to get rid of all the dogs in Paris, so to defeat him, I had to pretend to be a terrorist—"

Confused take again, pause.

"Another time this mad scientist wanted to steal things by usin' hi-tech carpets. We foiled him by scarin' a bunch of snobby humans at a party—"

Pause.

"But a particular bad guy has given us a lot of work, he's a cat, and one time he tried to steal an expensive statue and we foiled him by basically dressin' up as _females_, here—"

Foxglove laughed hysterically here.

She had _no idea_ how Dale would look like in a dress, so as various images formed in her mind, she nearly fell off her chair.

"So, this cat obviously doesn't like us, and he even tried to stop me from marryin' Foxy here…and he almost did—"

Pause.

The audience got quiet all of the sudden.

"Well, I think it was because he didn't like the bat—ch of cookies we sent him—"

Pause again, wait for sudden laughter, continue.

"I mean, I thought we used the right bat—ter, here—"

Pause again.

"And, when I found out that he had actually kidnapped Foxy, I passed out…I needed to recharge my bat—teries!"

Dale smiled.

He _smiled_ at that incident now, and kept his ears and tail up as well.

It was forever placed behind him.

_ It would never haunt him or Foxglove again._

"So when I woke up, I decided to gather a bunch of bats to help me rescue her…we formed a bat—talion!"

Pause.

This time Otis almost fell off his chair.

And the pain in _his_ body melted away as well.

Clarice, who was also laughing like never before, was gradually relieved of all her bodily pain, too.

"So Otis here and I went to the nearest circus."

Pause, smile.

"Ah, I can tell you all know what's comin' up next: We went to the circus to gather all the acro—bats!"

Lower ears and tail, give "bad joke" take, wait for amused moans, raise ears and tail, continue.

"And I prepared them for the bat—tle!"

Pause.

He took a deep breath.

Making people laugh was the greatest feeling of all, for now, at least…

"And as we flew in, I led them with my bat—on!"

Twirl invisible baton while pausing again.

Finding idiosyncrasies and absurdities in traumatic events, for _him_ to laugh at, to _laugh_ at _danger_, to _laugh_ at _evil_, to _laugh_ at _evil ones_, to _laugh_ at _curses_, very much restored his strength, his confidence; it helped him see mistakes and correct them.

No Rescue Ranger, Fightmaster, Body-Builder, Cook, Mechanic, Stealth Expert, Detective, or even Fiancé or Romeo could do that for him.

Only the Entertainment Expert.

Only the Goof-up.

Only the Klutz.

Only the Clown.

Only the _COMEDIAN_.

"And so, we got to his hide-out, but some hide-out, everyone knows where it is—"

Pause.

"And we defeated him by spittin' on him…and he hated being spit on by a whole flock of bats…so he went batty!"

Pause one more time.

He looked back at his table once more.

Otis and _all_ of the Rescue Rangers were laughing like never before, laughing at an incident which was once a matter of life and death, and now they were _laughing_ at it, _mocking_ it, _defying_ it, _daring_ it to happen again, _daring_ it to challenge them once again, because never again would they be caught off guard as it happened to them so long ago now.

That was _his_ doing.

_His_ achievement.

_His_ moment of glory and triumph.

_His_ finest hour…

The hour of the _Comedian_…

The Comedian then calmed down a trifle, as he looked once again into Foxglove's eyes.

"Actually…no. The cat didn't go batty."

Pause, wait for silence.

"The only one who went batty that night…"

Pause once again, lower ears, quiver tail, fall into her eyes:

"…was me. I went batty over her…and…I kinda said some…stupid stuff that night… and we both kinda died…and Foxy, I hope you can forgive me for faintin' on you, and for what I did and said that night, because I never thought it would turn out so horrible for both of us—"

In an instant, the batmaid, with matching ears and tail, was suddenly next to the chipmunk, giving him a very sudden and very deep kiss, which of course made the audience woo and clap.

The pipistrell broke off for a moment, and whispered, "Dale, you never fainted on me. You never said anything bad to me. You never did _anything_ bad to me. You did nothing wrong, and I have nothing to forgive. Please forgive _me_ for falling for Fat Cat's trick!"

Dale's response to that was to return the kiss just as intensely as she did it, eliciting more woos and clapping.

"I forgive you," he whispered, after he pulled away a trifle.

Foxglove then felt released from the incident, finally, as if a burden was lifted off her shoulders.

But then, she realised that she had to say it too, in order for Dale to become free of the incident as well.

"And _I_ forgive _you_."

He too, felt lighter now.

_ And now, the kidnapping was truly placed behind them and buried forever._

Foxglove then let go of him and fluttered back to her seat.

It took Dale a few seconds to recover, while the audience was clapping and chuckling. "Um, so as I was sayin', we both kinda died…but we were brought back, and I _finally_ know why. And I'm _still_ batty over her, and I always will be, and I don't understand why _no other male_ goes batty over her."

Otis just smiled inwardly at that.

He would have, if he had been allowed, but he knew when to back down.

He would get his mate eventually, but Foxglove was not the one.

He had already come to terms with that.

"Because if she did all she did tonight just to win me back, well…Foxy, you won. And I don't care what anyone says…but I love you."

The chipmunk and bat just looked/echosounded at each other, smiling, as the audience stood and cheered once more.

"Dale, I love you," she said.

And for some reason, Dale _heard_ her above all the applause.

"Thank you all! You can go to the bathroom now! Good night!"

The applause and laughter intensified again as Dale did a little Vaudeville dance, complete with waving his invisible hat and invisible cane, while humming a respective comedic musical closing fanfare.

He then bowed, "hit" his head on the microphone stand, "staggered" a bit, and teetered off the stage.

And once more, he embraced his bat lady, his loved one, his wife.

That was the final proof.

Segoleh had indeed been resurrected.

Monterey, still clapping, padded next to Gadget, and repeated, "'If you luv somethin', let it go…"

"If it comes back, it's yours forever…" she continued, smiling and clapping as well.

Zipper finished, "And ever and ever and ever…"

It took a while for the applause to fade, and when it did, Chip asked him, "Dale, where did all of _that_ come from?"

The Comedian looked at the Detective, and replied, "I don't know, Chip, I guess it all came from the top of my head."

Then he looked back at Foxglove and added, "Kinda makes you wonder what _else_ is in there, right, Honey?"

Foxglove just echosounded into his eyes, wanting, wanting, wanting—

Dale then released her again, much to her disappointment, "Just a moment, Foxy, I have to do somethin' right now."

True. Now that the Comedian had been fully restored, there was one final thing to do.

He padded over to Chip, and smiled.

Chip smiled back, ears up and tail quivering, as Dale's were, happy and relieved that his best friend was now very much back from the dead.

They hugged, naturally, though Chip was a trifle surprised when he noticed that Dale's torso was more solid, _and_ he felt his arms were a lot stronger, too.

They released each other; Dale then looked at him in the eye, and stated, "Chip, I want to thank you again for all you did tonight. You're our leader, and I know you led the others in tonight's bat-tle plan."

"Um, well, thanks Dale. We couldn't have done it without the others, however. But it's great to have you back."

"Anyways, I just want to tell you, from the bottom of my heart, and I _truly_ mean this, that I think that you and the Rescue Rangers are all washed up."

The Rangers, the bats, Clarice, and Chirp Sing hushed at that blatant statement.

Ears were lowered again and tails were held still.

Chip looked at his best friend blankly for a moment, wondering if he heard right.

"Dale, w-why would you say that?" he asked, with confusion and concern.

Dale tried again, "Chip, I _said_ that you and the Rangers are all washed up!"

Why Dale was smiling, holding his ears high, and quivering his tail at that statement was beyond Chip's ability to understand.

And why would he say that, after everything that happened tonight had just proven the opposite?

"Dale, what are you talking about?"

Dale thought for a moment, and tried a different approach, "Chip, you're stupid."

Chip blinked at him.

That wasn't true, either, even with all the sincerity Dale had.

"Huh?"

"I said _you're stupid_," he insisted.

Chip thought for a moment, and replied, "No, I'm not," as logically as he could.

Dale lowered his ears and tail and wiped his paw down his face in momentary frustration, looked at Chip again, and suddenly slapped the back of his head, knocking off his fedora.

Everyone was more than surprised at that, and even more so was Chip, who could not figure out what Dale was doing, and he winced as his fedora fell to the floor.

He looked at his best friend in total bewilderment—

Suddenly, something was triggered within him.

Dale's insane grin, his insane chuckle, his insane ears, his insane tail, his insane insult, his insane gesture—

A reflex, a trademark action that had been suppressed—_killed_—was trying to surface, to _resurrect_—

Chip's left arm twitched for a moment, and even tingled, as if it had been asleep and now blood was circulating through it again.

His left paw closed to form a fist.

Chip smiled.

He then jumped up and _bonked_ Dale on his head.

And both of their tails quivered again, as their ears came to attention.

_Odd, his head feels harder…_

Dale blinked at the bonk, but chuckled nonetheless, "Chip, you're stupid!"

And Chip bonked him again, this time with laughter.

The others began chuckling, too, even Foxglove, who was about to give Chip a piece of her mind for "harassing" her husband if Dale hadn't laughed.

"The Rangers are all washed up!" insisted Dale.

Another bonk, with heartier laughter.

"You're _stoopid_!"

This time Chip pounced on Dale, and both began wrestling.

Gadget and Foxglove immediately looked over them, but then they saw that they had nothing to worry about.

The scuffle was nothing like they had seen before, because _both_ chipmunks were smiling, _and_ laughing, _and_ were wagging their tails, _and_ had their ears up, besides hollering in their indecipherable chatter.

Chip was surprised at just how _solid_ and _flexible_ Dale had suddenly become. And he was even more surprised that no part of his own body was complaining of any previous injury from their night with Strigidæ, _or_ from arthritis pain…

Just then, two bouncers, two _very_ large prairie dogs, ran up to see what the fight was about.

Gadget and Foxglove stopped them with pleading paws and wings.

"Wait! It's okay!" said the mousemaid. "They're _always_ like this!"

"Yeah!" added the batmaid. "They're not fighting, they're having a…'spirited discussion'!" Dale had told her about these bouts they had, so it was all she could come up with at the moment.

"They won't bother the patrons, mates," added Monterey. "We'll jus' tell them to keep it down."

The prairie dogs looked at each other.

"It's okay, guys. They won't cause trouble," said Clarice, padding up to them. "Now be good sports and get back to the entrance, please."

The bouncers looked at each other again, shrugged, and left.

Some three minutes later, the sciurids finally stopped.

Dale stood, and held out a paw to help his best friend.

Chip gladly took it, stood, and hugged his best friend once more.

Then, he looked at him, lowered his ears and tail, and said, "Dale, thanks. You don't know how much I missed doing that. And now _I_ want to say that…you're _not_ stupid. You _never_ were. Like Gadget said, we're _all_ sorry for not believing or wanting your input and for making you feel insignificant. Because you're _not_ insignificant. You're just as smart as I am, maybe even smarter; it's just that you have different information than I do. I could never make others laugh as you can, and I could never find humour in serious things the way _you_ can. And…for all the times I bonked you and treated you like a clown…Dale…I'm sorry."

Dale looked back at him, also with low ears and tail, and replied, "Don't be. I _acted_ like a clown many times when I should have been serious. But this whole thing has made me learn a lot of stuff from you, from _all_ of you guys. I understand you better now, and now I understand why you reacted the way you did to all my input and comments. I _know_ how to do my job now. I'll…try to keep the Comedian and the Detective separated now—"

"Don't. Be as you always were…just…be more careful…and just _try_ to _not_ get us into more trouble than what _I_ get you into."

"I will. And don't worry about the bonkin', I know I deserved it. _And_ I know now that it _also_ helps you relieve stress! So if you ever feel like bonkin' me, just go ahead. And maybe I'll say somethin' stupid as well. You _might_ even laugh."

Chip smiled and raised his features again, "Thanks, buddy. I can always count on you."

Dale smiled back and also raised his features, and then he turned to Foxglove to say something—

_ [BONK!]_

Foxglove laughed.

Dale winced, but he smiled anyways as he turned back, "See? _You_ can be funny! But I'll get you for that, _Detective_."

"I'm counting on it, _Comedian_," he replied, still smiling.

Dale patted down his headfur for a moment, turned back to Foxglove, but then she asked, "Wait a minute, Cute Stuff. What about our enemies? How will our family deal with them?"

The Comedian thought for a moment, and replied, "Like I told Fat Cat, if he messes with you, I'll kill him, even if I have to make him die laughin'. As for the rest, well, if they make me mad, they'll be sorry. But it's not just _us_ they'll be messin' with. They'll have to deal with _all_ of us Rangers, and if that's _still_ too much for us to handle, we'll get all of our families, and the bat-tallion again if we need to. We _can_ beat them, Foxy. They'll never catch us off guard again. And _I_ won't put you in danger anymore; I know I can do that now. Of course, there will _always_ be danger, but you _can_ be safe from them, _all_ of us can. We'll always be together, and we'll face whatever danger comes at us—together. And I don't care how much security we have to put at the weddin', but we're gettin' married, and _no one_ is goin' to stop us!"

"And what about your 'family curse'?" she asked.

"We've broken Sir Colby's curse, and Chirp Sing's curse as well," he gestured at the smiling nightingale." And since _my_ curse said that I'd never be able to marry my original fiancée, I…I…I think we broke that one as well, if you're still willin' to go through the weddin'. And speakin' of that…um…where were we…? Oh, yes. Ahem:"

Once more, Dale got down on one knee, took Foxglove's right wing, and asked, this time even _more_ insisting, "Foxglove, do you think maybe you'd mind very much if you kinda sorta maybe just married me a little bit?"

Foxglove kept echosounding at his gorgeous dark brown eyes, which sparkled with new life and joy, his face echoing in the most beautiful resonance she had ever heard, and his smile bringing wonderful sound patterns to her ears.

Matching Dale's features, her ears were fully alert and her tail was a blur, and her heart was beating in her head again, she was so _happy_ that the Comedian had asked her that—

_"I…STILL…DON'T KNOW!"_

Once again, she snatched her wing away from her beloved, and turned her back on him as well, halting her tail movement.

Everyone else's jaws went slack as Dale sagged and his tail froze again, "Huh? Why not? I just showed you that the Comedian is alive and well!"

Foxglove turned slightly to echosound at him and look at him angrily and coyly out of the corner of her eye, "You may have come up with that from the top of your head, _Comedian_, but I _know_ that you've wanted to do that for a long time now! I _know_ that you had that more or less planned! You did that routine inside your head many times, and _that's_ why it came right off! But even _you_ know that comedy needs a battle plan, just like detective work! I _heard_ you timing yourself, and carefully choosing your words! And it was hilarious, yes, but it was _predictable_, even though I have never heard it before!"

Dale looked up at her, ears down, with a genuine confused take on his face. "But that's comedy! That's how a _true_ Comedian works! We're predictable to ourselves, or to a trained listener like you…_what_ is it that you want from me?"

The bat turned around again, gave him the most sinister look _she_ could conjure, grabbed him by his shirt collar, pulled him up so their noses were touching, and growled, "The Comedian was _predictable_. I fell in love with someone who was _random_. Show me _random_…and then we'll talk, _Comedian_."

Panic and fear almost took hold of Dale's heart again when Foxglove did that.

His mind went blank for a moment, as he nearly fell into her royal blue eyes again.

He felt himself melting under her sinister gaze and sinister voice, and he was about to kiss her—

Suddenly, he straightened up, ears up, and tail quivering again.

"You want _random, Interpreter_?" he asked, also quite sinisterly.

The batmaid released him, trying to keep her ears up and maintain her sinister take without much success, _"I demand random, Chipmunk."_

Dale returned a sinister _and_ determined look. "_Then random is what you will get, Bat."_

Foxglove shivered again.

She _liked_ shivering under his influence.

Dale suddenly turned to Clarice and growled, _"DOES THIS PLACE HAVE A DANCE FLOOR."_

Clarice, with her tail down and ears laid back, like everyone else, needed eight seconds to snap out of the trance brought in by all this sinisterness.

"Um, y-yes, Dale, this club h-has a d-dance floor—"

_"CLEAR THE DANCE FLOOR."_

The chipmunkmaid looked back at him in total fear.

Finally, she stuttered, "I-I can't do-do that, Dale, you'll h-have to ask—"

Suddenly Dale turned to the emcee, who was still next to the stage, and repeated his command, _"CLEAR THE DANCE FLOOR."_

Once again, the squirrel lowered his ears and tail and froze in place.

The sinister chipmunk stomped over to him and repeated in his face, _"I SAID CLEAR THE DANCE FLOOR, NOW."_

Trembling, the squirrel stumbled on the stage, took the microphone, and stuttered, "Um, males and females, c-clear the dance floor, um, please. I know this isn't d-dance night…but we're under…um…extraordinary circumstances here…"

A trifle confusedly, and reluctantly, the patrons in the area just in front of the stage left their seats while the club assistants—several guinea pigs—came to remove the tables and chairs.

Dale then turned to the emcee once again and asked,_ "WHERE DO YOU KEEP THE MUSIC."_

The emcee, completely scared out of his wits, pointed a trembling index digit toward the far wall in front of the stage.

Dale saw a Discman hooked up to a console, which was hooked up to the sound system. A CD rack was to its left.

_"THANKS."_

Dale then turned back to Foxglove, and locked sinister eyes with her as the floor was cleared.

They both stood motionless, almost daring each other to blink—

"_Ha!_ You blinked!" cried Foxglove, laughing a trifle.

Dale, unfazed, waited until the last guinea pig removed the last table, leaving the multicoloured tile floor clean and open.

Then, he took Foxglove by her wing again, led her to the centre of the floor, and looked at her in the eye.

All other eyes and ears were locked on them as he said, "_YOU WANT RANDOM? I'LL GIVE YOU RANDOM."_

…she _loved_ shivering now…

He left Foxglove on the centre, and ran to the CD rack. He closed his eyes and swept his right paw along the discs back and forth a few times, before grabbing one.

A _randomly_ selected CD.

Still with his eyes closed, he took the disc out and lifted it over his head with both paws.

Opening his eyes now, he padded over to the Discman.

Since he had both paws full, he leaned over and searched for the "open" button. Finding it, he stepped on it.

And since he was still leaning over, as the top popped open, it whacked him on the nose, though not with enough force to break it again.

The audience laughed for a bit as Dale staggered around again, ears and tail down, unable to rub his nose, still holding the CD over his head.

Then, he shook his head, raised his ears and tail, and looked back at the Discman.

He closed his eyes.

He put the CD in.

He closed the top again.

He opened his eyes again.

He pressed _POWER_.

He turned and faced the batmaid again, rubbing his itchy nose.

_"…Luceeeeeeeeeelle…"_ he whispered sinisterly, ears pointed at her.

She _loved_ shivering under his sinister gaze and sinister voice.

And then, Dale padded back a bit and pressed another button on the Discman with his right foot-paw, while _still_ looking toward his loved one.

He pressed _RANDOM PLAY_.

Foxglove could hear the disc whirr as a track was _randomly_ chosen…

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=B3HciSe19gU )

And the song began…

A light bass and high-hat played the opening sequence, joined by a "clap"…

Dale began clapping, tapping his foot-paw, and swaying his body along with the beat, and he encouraged the patrons to clap along, which they did…

Then, a funky guitar…

As soon as Dale heard it, he began to move accordingly, whichever and every way, pulling moves randomly from the darkest recesses in his memory, with his tail wagging at the beat. He first began by shifting his hips side to side while pointing up and down with his right arm over and over, still keeping his gaze on Foxglove.

The guitar was then accentuated with a _trumpet_…

And a pulsing bass…

_ In a disco beat…_

The trumpet introduced the lyrics:

_"We were born to be…alive!_

_ We were born to be…alive!"_ He spun in place a few times—

_"Born…!"_ He suddenly stopped, still looking at her.

_"Born to be alive!"_ And then he began doing the _twist_, but still at the rhythm of the song. A baritone voice rang out,

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ Someone backstage decided to add to the atmosphere, so as the song continued, a mirror ball began spinning from the ceiling.

_"Yes, we were born…_

_ Born…_

_ Born…"_ Foxglove just stood there, ears straight and tail wagging, stunned at the way he sounded when he moved.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ The audience was now clapping at the beat of the snare drum, and Dale continued twisting his way around Foxglove as the guitar prepared the way for the first verse, again introduced by a trumpet,

_"Time was on my side when I was running down the street, it was no bind, bind, bind!"_ Dale suddenly shifted again, this time by staying in place and just moving his hips and foot paws, a _cumbia_.

_"A suitcase and an old guitar, and something new to occupy a mind-like-mine!"_ Foxglove was speechless.

The chorus played again,

_"Yes, we were born—!"_ And then, he suddenly began to _breakdance_.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_"Born—!"_ He got down on the floor on all fours, kicked around a little, and then spun on his back.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_"Born to be alive!"_ He shifted a bit and then spun on his head.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ Foxglove never knew Dale's body could bend that way—

_"Yes, we were born…"_ He then suddenly straightened up and started waving all his limbs around, smiling, with his tongue lolling out. He was doing the _salsa_!

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ Only this time, there was no ruby, or cat, or human, or Detective, to interrupt him.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_"Born…"_ This was _his_ night now.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ Foxglove smiled. Now that was _certainly_ the chipmunk she fell in love with!

There was a brief instrumental, and Dale continued with the salsa.

_"People ask me why I never find a place to stop and settle down, down, down!"_ But as soon as the verse began, he began moving side to side, and moving his hips and arms in waves—

_"I never wanted all those things people need to justify their life, life, life!" Hawaiian_ disco? That was certainly new. Once more, Foxglove was transfixed at the way Dale's hips sounded as they moved.

_"Yes, we were born—!"_ He was now running around Foxglove while moving in circles, waving his arms all over the place.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born—!"_ Foxglove blinked, trying to identify that dance. She was certainly confused, but happy nonetheless. He would _always_ surprise her, and always in a _good_ way.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born to be alive!" Blimey! I hope it doesn't rain in 'ere with that Indian rain dance 'e's doin'!_ thought Monterey.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ And then he stopped in front of her again.

_"Yes, we were born…"_ Dale suddenly squatted, crossed his arms, and began kicking in a very Russian way: the _Cossack dance_. Dale threw his arms up and chattered,

"HEY!" right at the beat, and continued kicking.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_

"HEY!" yelled the audience as well.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_

"HEY!"

_"BORN TO BE ALIV—"_ Dale would have continued kicking, but suddenly, the bridge came in:

_"It's good to BE alive—!"_ Dale did not miss a beat. He stood straight, took a step back, and then he kicked as high as he could at the beat of each line.

_"To BE alive—!"_ Step back, kick.

_"To BE alive—!"_As he came down on that line, he suddenly did a split—

_"It's good to BE alive—!"_ —threw his arms up—

_"To BE alive—!"_ —whirled his right leg around—

_"To BE alive—!"_ —did a reverse summersault and jumped back on his foot-paws.

_"It's good to BE ALIVE!"_ He spun three times and stopped right in front of Foxglove's face, whipping his arms down, "presenting" himself to her. And boy, she had never seen nor heard a presentation such as this!

The song went into a very long instrumental, during which Dale ran to one corner of the floor, ran a few steps, and then did a few cartwheels, pawsprings, and summersaults before ending on the opposite corner, landing squarely on his foot-paws, like a gymnast.

The first "chorus" repeated, but it was without lyrics. That didn't stop Dale from singing along, but because he wasn't doing it very loudly, it was difficult to hear him.

"(Born…!)" Dale raised his arms, imitating a praying mantis, it seemed.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born—!)" Then he grimaced goofily, and paced to the left and the right.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born to be alive!)" The _thriller zombie line dance_, it seemed.

"(BORN TO BE ALIVE.)" It was the first time Foxglove laughed at a "zombie".

"(Yes, we were born…)" Now he moved his arms and legs in short jerky movements, turning his head all around him, apparently noticing individuals in the audience.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" Those were mechanical movements, noticed Gadget.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" The _robot_! He raised his arms and looked up,

"(BORN TO BE ALIVE.)" Quickly, he ran to the edge of the dance floor for the next part.

Then the first "verse" repeated, without lyrics, which were supplied by Dale anyway.

"(Time was on my side when I was running down the street, it was no bind, bind, bind!)" He began walking mechanically again, though with his right arm raised above him, and his left behind him, bobbing his head back and forth.

"(A suitcase and an old guitar, and something new to occupy a mind-like-mine!)" The typical _Egyptian dance_, which included him bobbing his head left and right between his raised arms.

"(Yes, we were born—!)" Now he jutted his elbows behind him.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born—!)" He squatted a bit, "flapping" his elbows, and walking like—

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born to be alive!)" —the _funky chicken_! The performer's voice rang out,

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE." _Dale then turned to Foxglove and placed his paws on an imaginary belt buckle on his stomach.

"(Yes, we were born…)" Then he jumped and kicked straight and to the sides.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" Followed by kicks to the front, and some fancy footwork.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" No one could believe that a _barnyard dance_ could be done in a disco beat. The performer sang again,

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ He stood up straight again.

The second "verse" played,

"(People ask me why I never find a place to stop and settle down, down, down!)" Dale extended his arms a bit, and swung his ankles in and out while tilting left and right.

"(I never wanted all those things people need to justify their life, life, life!)" Quite a few patrons recognised the _mashed potato_. The song moved to the "verse", though only the backups were heard:

"(Yes, we were born—!)" Dale squatted slightly and swung his arms in front of his waist.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

"(Born—!)" Then he swung them behind him as he "marched" forward.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

"(Born to be alive!)" And he continued to swing them as he marched backward now, on his toes.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ _TEQUILA._

"(Yes, we were born…)" Then, he jutted his tail toward Foxglove, making her shiver.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!" _And he swung his hips back.

"(Born…)" And he put his tail "in" again, and shook it all about.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

"(Born…)" And he swung his arms around his torso, turning himself around.

"(BORN TO BE ALIV—)" He knew that the _hokey-pokey_ was what it was all about.

"(It's good to BE alive—!)" Still without missing a beat, he now seemed to dance a mix of tap and swing.

"(To BE alive—!)" Accompanied by a side kick, again right at the beat.

"(To BE alive—!)" More kicks and arm swings, _the Charleston_, and then the performer returned,

_ "It's good to BE alive—!" _High kick.

_ "To BE alive—!" _Step back, high kick.

_ "To BE alive—!" _Step back, high kick.

_ "It's good to BE ALIVE!" _Spin, stop, and present himself to his fiancée again.

He ran a circle or two around her in the instrumental that followed, making her shiver more than she thought possible.

Suddenly, he stopped in front of her.

_"Time was on my side when I was running down the street, it was no bind, bind, bind!" _This time, he put his left paw on his abdomen while pointing up and waving his right index digit while moving by shifting his heels and toes while keeping his foot-paws together: a "slow" _swing_.

_"A suitcase and an old guitar, and something new to occupy a mind-like-mine!"_ And none of the other Rangers knew that Dale had it in him.

_"Yes, we were born—!"_ He then raised his paws to his head and started doing a type of tap dance around Foxglove: _flamenco._

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born—!"_ She kind of missed the way his hips were moving just now, but then again, she _did_ ask for _random_.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born to be alive!"_ Then again, she _did_ love the way his foot-paws sounded when they bounced off the now flashing multicoloured tiles. And…she could _hear_ them above the music…

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ As Dale tapped, he noticed something was missing, and it wasn't a black Spanish hat.

_"Yes, we were born…"_ So, he jumped on the tap dancing floor (a full-sized snare drum), which was adjacent to the main dance floor, beside the stage, and began to _tap dance_, jazz style, but still keeping the disco beat.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ Foxglove swirled and echosounded at him tap and swing his arms to and fro. And to think all of this was _hers_ now, now and forever…

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…" Dale, I didn't know you could tap dance!_ thought Chip.

_"BORN TO BE ALIV—"_ Dale was ready for the shift now:

_"Yes, we were born—!"_ He suddenly placed his arms flat against his sides and did an _Irish_ tap dance.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born—!"_ He was tapping a way that was so in tune and in sync with the disco beat that if Michael Flatley had seen him, he would have turned green with envy.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_"Born to be alive!"_ And as he tapped, he continued looking into Foxglove's eyes, almost daring her to place yet another condition.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ The tamias jumped off the snare drum back to the dance floor, still facing the pipistrell.

_"Yes, we were born…"_ Very quickly, he moved his paws to his hips, then in front of him, then he turned them over, then he crossed his arms, then he moved his hips back and forth—

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ He moved his paws to his shoulders, then in front of him, then he turned them over, then he placed them back on his hips, then he moved his hips back and forth—

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ The _macarena_?

_"BORN TO BE ALIV—"_ And Foxglove wanted those hips for herself _right n_—

_"Yes, we were born—!"_ Dale then moved right next to her again, placed his paws behind him, and began stomping around her: _Danzón_.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born—!"_ Foxglove echosounded at him for a moment. He shifted his head a bit:

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!" Come on!_

_ "Born to be alive!"_ A trifle reluctantly, Foxglove copied Dale's position and also began stomping around him. She wondered if she would be able to keep up with him.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE." Now you've got it!_ Okay, so far so g—

_"Yes, we were born…"_ Suddenly Dale grabbed her right wing with his left paw, placed his right paw on her left hip, touched her left cheek with his right cheek, and did the _tango_.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ She was startled, naturally, but it didn't take her long to adjust to his movements, and she flowed back and forth with him.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_ She shivered as his fur bristled with hers, practically generating sparks from the static electricity and their growing passion.

_"Born…"_ They suddenly stopped and looked/echosounded at each other as a hard guitar chord rang out—

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_

The song went into yet _another_ brief instrumental, so Dale and Foxglove decided to continue with the tango.

Watching from the sidelines, along with everyone else, Chip couldn't help but feel envious of the moves Dale was making, with all the pain he had on his—

Huh?

He noticed that he was tapping his _right_ foot-paw to the beat of the song, _pain free_.

He stomped.

Nothing.

The pain was _gone_.

And…it had _been_ gone, he realised, before he wrestled with Dale…

He suddenly noticed someone was holding his left paw—

And the arm that was connected to the paw that was holding his was _also_ moving to the beat.

He looked into Gadget's eyes.

He smiled.

He chattered above the music, "Miss Hackwrench, may I have this dance?"

There were very few times in Gadget's life where she did things in the spur of the moment, without any previous logical planning, _randomly_.

Having assessed the medical situation of her formerly injured arm, she decided that this would be one of them.

She smiled as well.

"Sure!"

And they both padded out to the dance floor.

_"Born!"_ And they, too, began dancing tango to the disco beat, tails moving in unison, ears straight, completely pain free, without a care in the world, and simply enjoying each other's company.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly, dee-dee-dee diddly—"_

_ "Born to be alive!"_ Both continued smiling. They felt as if they were in the clouds as they moved alongside each other.

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ But then, Chip and Gadget had to stop. Dale and Foxglove had shifted again!

_"Yes, we were born…"_ They were moving to the beat, quickly yet gracefully, extending fully from each other, still paw in wing, and then coming back together.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_ Chip and Gadget quickly moved to the side again, and continued watching them. Oh well, this was Dale and Foxy's night anyways.

_"Born…"_ The first time a _waltz_ was danced to a disco beat.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ The hard guitar chord rang out again. Dale was suddenly beside Foxglove. He looked at her in the eye sinisterly again, and lip-synched,

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ If she shivered like that one more time, she was going to lose control of herself. She wondered if there were any justice-of-the-peace's anywhere in the audience and a private room somewhere in this club.

But then, she quickly calmed down as the guitar played another instrumental and Dale continued leading her in this randomly chosen waltz. No one had ever seen a dance like this one before; completely created at random, and yet smoothly executed. The trumpet introduced the chorus again,

_"Born!"_ The waltz then flowed into a downright _ballet_, with Dale spinning Foxglove around while standing on the front of his toes, and the audience laughed.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly, dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_ Dale then grabbed her hips and lifted her, spinning on his toes to the beat of the music, almost showing her off as if she were a trophy.

_ "Born to be alive!"_ As soon as he put her down, Foxglove suddenly took the lead, lifted _him_ by his hips, and showed _him_ off to everyone, echosounding at him from head to toes:

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ He was _her_ trophy as well.

_"Yes, we were born…"_ Yet another radical shift. Dale grabbed her wings again and danced a mix of swing and _danzón_: _Mambo_.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_ "Born…"_ Foxglove was completely in the clouds again. She was dancing the night away with her male, with _no one_ to even _try_ to stop her.

_"Dee-dee-dee diddly—!"_

_"Born…"_ And if anyone dared to stop them, they would regret it for the rest of him/her/its life. Another hard guitar chord rang out, but this time Foxglove was ready. She suddenly grabbed Dale's shoulders, brought his face to her face, and said, with the exact same baritone voice of the performer:

_"BORN TO BE ALIVE."_ Now it was Dale's turn to shiver. He _knew_ Foxglove had not lip-synched that last line.

This night was _their_ night, now and forever.

The song went into an instrumental of the verse and chorus again, and while those two continued the mambo, another tamias and pipistrell were watching/echosounding from the sidelines.

They were both happy for them, and yet, sad.

"(Time was on my side when I was running down the street, it was no bind, bind, bind!)"

"Isn't it nice that they got back together?" chattered Clarice.

"Yeah!" screeched Otis back, with a definite sigh. "Some couples have _all_ the luck!"

"(A suitcase and an old guitar, and something new to occupy a mind-like-mine!)"

Clarice then looked at him coyly and asked, "Interesting point, sugar! And are _you_ feeling lucky right now?"

Otis suddenly echosounded at her. He thought he had saved her life simply because it was something he _had_ to do, but now he wasn't sure.

"I don't know, why do you ask?"

"(Yes, we were born—!)"

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"I was wondering if you're doing anything tonight, tall, dark, and mysterious?"

"(Born—!)"

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born to be alive!)"

Otis blushed. "Well, I _was_ going to eat more insects, but I suppose I can change plans! Would you care to dance?"

"(BORN TO BE ALIVE.)"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

Otis and Clarice then entered the dance floor, but before they realised that all their pain was gone as well, they had to quickly step out again, because the _other_ chipmunk and bat were practically using up the whole floor.

"(Yes, we were born…)" Dale then hooked his right arm with her right wing, and skipped around her in circles, this time, in a _square dance_ style.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" He unhooked and did the same with the left arm/wing.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" Bow to the left, bow to the right. Both looked at each other and sang:

"(BORN TO BE ALIVE.)" Fists in hips, pad to the right, pad to the left.

"(People ask me why I never find a place to stop and settle down, down, down!)" For no reason at all, Dale started hitting her shoulder with _his_ shoulder, not too hard, though. He was _slam dancing_, moderately, of course.

"(I never wanted all those things people need to justify their life, life, life!)" More than slamming, they were _bouncing_ into each other. And from their smiles, straight ears, and blurry tails, everyone knew they were enjoying it.

"(Yes, we were born—!)" Dale then put his arm around her shoulder, gave a half-kick, and then a full kick.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born—!)" In no time, Foxglove was also doing the _Can-Can_.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born to be alive!)" First to one side of the floor, and then to the other side.

"(BORN TO BE ALIVE.)" Kick, kick, kick, kick! This was _FUN_!

"(Yes, we were born…)" Foxglove was stunned yet again when Dale grabbed her wings and started spinning her all over the place: _Swing_.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)" He grabbed her hips and threw her up in the air. She did a graceful spin, with her wings over her head, and came down on Dale's waiting paws.

"(Born…)" Dale had made her _fly_—

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)" Dale spun her again and wound her back up, making her wrap her wings around herself and then he wrapped _his_ arm around her, basically pinning her wings down. She was slightly frightened being in this position, and even more so when her face stopped right next to Dale's—

"(Born…)" Foxglove couldn't move, but before she could give him a kiss that would make both of them lose control, Dale "unwound" her, grabbed her wing again, spun her around himself, and then he made her do a little hop, which enabled him to swing her on his left side, and then on his right side—

"(BORN TO BE ALIV—)" _Oh no, the tunnel, the tunnel, he's going to do the TUNNEL! Keep your mouth shut, keep your mouth SHUT, focus on the music, the music, the MUSIC—!_

Not that she could have heard anything besides the music, because as Dale spread his legs and swung her between them, his arms and her wings pretty much covered everything.

"(Yes, we were born—!)" Dale switched back to disco again, only this time he had a partner.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born—!)" Once again, he began pointing up and down and moving his hips.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born to be alive!)" Foxglove basically mirrored all his movements, and now it was _his_ turn to be transfixed by her hips.

"(BORN TO BE ALIVE.)" And those hips would be _his_ now, forever and ever.

"(Yes, we were born…)" They both spun in place.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)" And they took hold of each other one more time and spun together.

"(Dee-dee-dee diddly—!)"

"(Born…)"

The music faded out, and the emcee decided to press _POWER_ on the Discman again.

Dale and Foxglove slowed down and finally stopped, with him holding her as she bent back, with her wings spread above her.

The audience _roared_, and this time, both of them were caught up in it, rising, rising, rising to the clouds, with each other, forever and ever.

After a while, they straightened out, and embraced.

Both were panting, and totally spent, but they were in each other's arms/wings.

They were exhausted and had their ears down, of course, but being in each other's arms/wings, tails in a blur, and feeling each other's hearts flutter in unison, and breathing deeply and taking in each other's scents, a wonderful sense of relief came over them, a relief from all the pain and tension that they had gone through the past months.

Relief.

They just felt such calm, comforting, soothing, wonderful _relief_…

Both were _truly_ born, _re-born_, _to be alive_, with each other, forever and ever.

They looked/echosounded at each other's eyes again.

_And suddenly, a love will arrive_

_ That will not leave, never._

_ I will be happy with him._

_ And I will be lost in his gaze._

_ And I will not be_

_ Desesperada._

Well, that song _had_ been right, after all.

But someone else had just died, however:

The _Desesperada_.

As well as Hastahah.

But that was a good thing, and so Foxglove smiled at her mate.

The Rangers quickly surrounded them a moment before the rest of the audience did, but they _still_ continued clapping and cheering.

Foxglove gave Dale a light kiss, and he decided to rub noses with her.

She returned the nuzzling, and after a while, they looked/echosounded at each other.

It was a very odd look they both had, for it appeared to be a look of exhaustion, a look of passion, a look of relief, a look of _life_, a look of a new birth, a look of resurrection, a look of _wanting_, a look of love, of _true_ love, a look of—

_ "ACHOOOO—!"_

_ "—CHOOOO!"_

Never mind.

But both were quick enough to turn to their right so as not to sneeze in each other's faces.

Of course, the audience laughed, and so did they.

After the roaring continued for some five minutes, Dale decided to try again.

Breathing a trifle easier now, he got down on one knee.

The audience began to hush as he repeated, "Foxglove, do you think ma—"

The verspetilionid suddenly grabbed the sciurid by his shirt, pulled him up again, and gave him the happiest look she had ever made, with tears flowing again.

She then embraced him as tightly as she could, and replied in his ear, in a voice that was almost a whisper, and yet the ultimate shout of triumph from her spirit, her mind, and her body:

_"Yes. Now and forever. Forever and ever. Hold me tight forever. Thank you, Dale, for giving me forever. I'll never let you down, my Husband, my Love, my Cute Stuff, my Darling, my Handsome One, my Great Sounding One, my Luna Moth, my Romeo, my Random One, my Segoleh, my Goof-Up, my Klutz, my Clown, my Comedian."_

Their ears were still down, but both tails were a blur again, even though one was attached to a membrane.

He had held her tight.

And now they would be holding on _forever_.

And practically everyone in the audience was crying as well—

_[GROWWWWLLLLLLL]_

Suddenly, both looked/echosounded at each other's teary eyes with a very strange and surprised take. Then, they looked/echosounded down at their abdomens for a moment, looked/echosounded back at each other's eyes, and laughed again.

They turned to the emcee and asked simultaneously, "What's for dinner?"

And they and the audience laughed, cried, and cheered again, for a long time that night…


	34. TRIAKONTES — A MERRY HEART DOETH GOOD…

**TRIAKONTES — A MERRY HEART DOETH GOOD…**

An elder chipmunk, clad in his typical white coat, looked out his office window for a moment, ears up and tail still, gathering his thoughts, assembling them, and trying to put them in a logical and rational order.

It wasn't exactly easy for him to do that in this particular moment, not after all he had just diagnosed.

He then turned from the window and padded over to a mini-tape recorder, his medical log, opened the deck, inserted a new tape, closed the deck, pressed _RECORD_, and looked back out the window.

"Medical log: one nine nine eight zero seven three zero point one five four five.

"It's extremely difficult for me to try to record these events in a clinically ordered way. Perhaps it's because what happened to these patients is beyond the scope of current medical science…and language.

"The events involve six patients: Chip Maplewood, male chipmunk; Dale Oakmont, male chipmunk; Gadget Hackwrench, female mouse; Jack Colby, male mouse; Zipper Lightringer, male fly; and Foxglove, female bat.

"These are regular patients of mine, the 'Rescue Rangers', a detective and crime fighting organisation, with Foxglove having joined last year. Their work involves them repeatedly travelling overseas, and in those occasions, they come for vaccines and checkups, before and after their journeys. Their mileage and destinations have brought them into contact with plenty of exotic pathogens, but our preventive measures have protected them from a great deal of diseases.

"Or so I thought. Three months ago, they came in for an unscheduled check-up, and their tests revealed a mild case of arthritis developing on all of them. Additional tests, however, showed that Dale was experiencing a gradual physical deterioration, a classic case of an animal _willing_ himself to die. I prescribed immediate psychiatric therapy for him, which he took, apparently. Later tests showed inconclusive results, except for an increase in arthritic symptoms. When they came in last week, however…"

Doctor Qandlier stopped as he remembered watching the Rescue Rangers practically "dance" into his office.

"In this profession, when one sees recovery, one sees it coming gradually, the same way a disease gradually sets in. The moment I saw my patients again…"

The chipmunk turned to his office door.

This was certainly difficult to explain.

"Something…had happened to them…something radical. From a simple glance, one could see no traces of arthritis, and…there was…a…I don't know how else to put this: a 'radiance' in their faces, like when someone wins the lottery. In their previous visit, I was aware that they had symptoms of clinical depression, especially Dale, but now…their faces _shone_…especially Dale's, and his fiancée's, Foxglove. They came in for the exact same tests, and…"

The tamias sat at his desk, picked up the Rangers' medical folders, looked at them in confusion, and laid his ears back.

"And all the results turned out negative. Not a gradual decrease in symptoms, but a total _absence_ of symptoms, almost as if the initial tests had been wrong, or as if they were completely different patients. I ordered the tests to be taken again, and I still got the same results. I have never seen such a radical remission of arthritis, and what was even more odd, Dale's deterioration had not only stopped, but it had actually…_reversed_. He seemed…_younger_, so full of energy and life, and not only him, but the rest of them, too. Even Jack appeared to be ten years younger, and a bit thinner, and with clear arteries, _and_ with a low cholesterol count, too, despite all the cheese he eats…"

The rodent then took Dale's file, and opened it.

"And to make matters more confusing, two weeks ago they were admitted to the ER of Staten Island Veterinary Hospital, after a run-in with an owl. The hospital's records showed that Dale had three cracked ribs and a fractured upper maxillary, Foxglove had a second-degree separation of her right shoulder, and the others had multiple injuries as well. When they came in for their check-up, I was expecting them to _still_ have their casts and braces…"

He took the hospital's record and read it for the _nth_ time.

He had seen too many of them to not be able to identify a fake one a mile away, but if it was fake, why would the Rangers want to fake it?

"…and they _didn't_. The x-rays showed that Dale's fractures had knitted _fully_, something which takes at _least_ three to four weeks, and it took _two weeks_ for him, or _one night_, as he claims."

Dale's x-rays were already filed away, but he glanced toward the cabinet in awe anyways.

"Either two x-rays of two different chipmunks have been mixed up…no. I saw the hospital's x-rays, and they confirmed the original diagnosis. I just talked on the phone with the doctor who was on call that night, and she verified what all the hospital's records showed. She herself took the x-rays and set the casts and braces, and she supervised the Rangers' treatment. She is on her way here with the original plates and records to…_try_ to figure out what happened. Maybe she'll have better luck than I will.

"And there were witnesses of the Rangers' injuries. The Rangers themselves have a high degree of credibility, so if we add clinical records _and_ eyewitnesses and we put them against what I am holding in front of me…

"Also defying my clinical explanation is that these tests show that their defence systems have…strengthened, somehow. The only way I know that this can happen is if one receives a booster shot of a specific vaccine, but these tests show…not only an _increase_ in antibody count…of _all_ their antibodies…but the antibodies themselves appear to have been…_enhanced_. That is the only word that I can use. The only way that could have happened is if someone gave them a booster shot of _all_ their antibody stock, separately, but that still doesn't explain the _enhancement_ of their antibodies. Medically speaking, that is an excellent thing, because they won't have to worry about disease for a long time now, either local or exotic, and I even doubt they'll develop a cold."

The sciurid closed Dale's file, but continued to look at it, ears and tail still down, trying to find an explanation, one that would satisfy his medical reasoning and logic.

"None of the drugs I prescribed could have done what I saw. No combination can do so, no _known_ drug, but the Rescue Rangers told me that they were never exposed to any strange substances lately. Even the psychiatric therapy I prescribed can only do so much. Foxglove _did_ say that they also took some 'musical' therapy, and while I know that the right music can relax the body and mind and relieve stress, that _still_ doesn't explain the knitting or antibody enhancement. Dale asked me if I believed the adage of 'laughter is the best medicine'. I told him that laughter has been shown to release endorphins, but those make the body 'feel' better and help its metabolism, they don't fight disease itself, restore chemical imbalance, create osteoclasts, move a joint back together, or heal the body in general, much less _rejuvenate_ it. Dale said that they took…that they were _subjected_ to laughter therapy, hence, their radical recoveries, but there is no medical connection between endorphins and enhanced antibodies…"

Doctor Qandlier rubbed his snout for a moment, still looking at Dale's file.

It was time to reach a conclusion.

As illogical as it was, it was the only one that could explain everything.

"So with all that I saw, it is impossible for me to take credit for this…this…there is no other word for it: this _miracle_. While I know that there are many things that medical science has yet to discover, and that there are many ways in which the body works and heals itself that we have yet to find, I cannot, by any stretch of the imagination or radical medical theory, say that these recoveries are a result of medical science. All I have left to say is that The Only One Who can take credit for this…miracle…is The One Upstairs."

The chipmunk continued to stare at Dale's file.

It almost seemed as if the file was _laughing_ at him, _mocking_ him, _daring_ him to provide a logical explanation.

He decided to admit defeat.

There was no other option.

"But something else that intrigues me is the Rangers' new energy. Dale and Foxglove were obviously very happy now that they are going to be married, and Chip and Gadget…well, looking at them holding paws reminds me of the days when I first met the young chipmunkmaid who later became my wife, and more. They have more energy than what I recall having as a teenager. But I suppose that is all part of this miracle. And while I feel frustrated because I cannot explain it, this couldn't have happened to a more deserving group of animals. I am more than happy for them.

"I'll close now, for Doctor Jay will be arriving now. And as soon as we arrive at _some_ explanation, I'll go home and prepare for a wedding. This may have been a bad day for science, but it's been a wonderful day for the Rescue Rangers."

Doctor Qandlier stood and pressed _STOP_.

He then took all the records and filed them away.

As he waited for Doctor Jay, he looked out the window again.

Up in the sky, way in the distance, he saw a balloon holding a bleach bottle that was flapping mechanical wings.

Beside it, he could just barely see a chiropterid easily keeping pace with it.

His ears perked up.

His tail twitched a trifle.

_ Ah, to be young again._

This had _certainly_ been a nice day…


	35. TRIAKONTESHEIS — HAPPY ARE THE PEACEMAKE

**TRIAKONTESHEIS — HAPPY ARE THE PEACEMAKERS…**

Two small aircraft and eleven bats landed in a park in Staten Island in the early evening, while a small vehicle rolled to a stop next to them.

The Rescue Rangers, Otis, Feyyanna, Richard and Rosie, Dusk and Dawn, Curtis and Grace, Janice, Marcus, Clarice, Cheddarhead and Camembert, Chap and Nikoma, Pierre and Dalee, and even Chip's Uncle Phinehas padded/flew from the Ranger Plane, the Ranger Wing, and the Ranger Skate, and padded/flew toward a particular spot.

No one was tense or afraid, but everyone was sad, as their ears and tails showed, even if later today there would be a much happier event.

Dale and Foxglove led the rest to a spot on the cement path, near the edge where it gave way to the natural earth.

As they approached it, Foxglove took tight hold of Dale's right paw.

In the spot itself there was nothing in particular. All markings, if any, had been washed away by the rain or swept away by the park attendants.

And of course, the body had been buried in an unmarked grave long ago.

Shivers rippled through the spines of those who had been here that horrible night…

Dale then smelled something.

He turned to a nearby bush, and saw something under it.

"Excuse me a moment," he told his fiancée.

He released Foxglove, and padded toward the bush.

Reaching down, he picked up a brown owl feather.

It was practically undetectable by bats, but even with all the rain and heat, Dale was able to smell it.

He looked up, not at the blue-red sky, but to a particular point in the sky, right above the spot on the cement.

He shivered again.

Padding back toward the rest, he placed the feather where Strigidæ died.

The bat couples embraced each other, as did the engaged couple.

Phinehas padded up and said, "We're here to mourn the passing of living creature, one that, while evil, was a living creature nonetheless. Her crimes caused untold horror, and left many childless and parentless, and brought untold pain to those present, and she met a tragic end herself. She was given many chances, from both predators and prey, and even her fellow owls, to repent of her crimes and turn from evil, but she refused to repent, even at the height of a storm, and when all her efforts to destroy her prey were rendered futile. We mourn, because she refused to repent, even at the end. May God have mercy on her soul."

Phinehas then looked at the bat couples, who padded up and said:

"Leticia, Tyndal," said Janice.

"Anna, Irene," said Marcus.

"Dawn," said Dusk.

"Aurora," said Rosie.

"Alicia," said Grace.

"None of them, we hope," added Janice, "hate you, Strigidæ. We don't hate you anymore, either. What you did was terrible, but…you were a predator, and you were acting on instinct. True, evil twisted your instincts, and you took the wrong path. But we don't hate you. We're not angry with you. We just feel sorry for you and are sad that your life had to end this way. As Foxglove came to us and gave us peace, we now put _you_ to rest, and we put you behind us. Good-bye, Strigidæ."

The bats padded back.

The elder chipmunk then looked at Dale, who then padded up and stuttered, "Um…Miss Strigidæ, as Miss Janice said…neither Foxglove nor I hate you or are mad with you now, either. We're…not sure why we did what we did…it was kinda done in the spur of the moment…and…and we _were_ defendin' ourselves…we just wanted to survive…but…but…we just hope you forgive us for hatin' you and…killin' you. We ourselves were dead at the time, so…we just ask for forgiveness, as we now forgive _you_. We don't approve of what you did; we just forgive you. Good-bye, Miss Strigidæ."

Dale then padded off the cement again, picked up a pebble, and placed it on top of the feather.

The rest of the chiropterids, rodents, and dipterid did the same, and moments later, there was a small pile of pebbles on top of the feather.

It was a humble yet grim monument to all the sadness and horror that this whole park had seen.

But now, all of that was over.

There was irreparable loss, yes, but all those affected had now come to terms with it and had moved on.

Still, there was one more thing left to do.

The mammals and insect padded back to the vehicles, and they all then flew/drove a short distance to where a particular vine with purple flowers grew.

The animals padded/flew next to it, and one more time, Phinehas spoke, "We're now gathered here to say our final farewells to Leticia, Irene, Dawn, Aurora, Alicia, Tyndal, Anna, and Foxglove's parents. It was here where they perished so cruelly by the wing of a deranged predator. Leticia, Irene, Dawn, Aurora, and Alicia were beautiful batlings, only beginning to live. Tyndal was a father with a brave and noble heart, and did not hesitate to sacrifice his own life to save his wife, even though his daughter perished with him. Anna was also a brave bat lady, who did all she could to protect her husband and daughter, but she, too, perished with her daughter. But Foxglove's parents were _truly_ one of a kind, for they _both_ gave their lives to save their daughter, who is with us today. None deserved this tragic end, so may they rest in peace."

The elder backed down, and it was the bats' turn to speak again.

Janice began, "Tyndal, Leticia, I really miss you two. For a long time I hoped that you, Leti, would still be alive…but I've moved on now. I really _do_ wish you could have stayed with me; you would have been great friends with Foxglove and the Rangers. Tyndal, honey, I'll never forget the day we met, nor anything about you. Thanks for saving my life. You were the best husband ever, and I'll miss everything about you. Tyndal, Leticia, good-bye."

"Anna, Irene, I miss you, too," said Marcus. "I really don't have much to say except…rest well. You two deserve to rest, after all you did for me. I hope you don't mind me moving on. Anna, Irene, good-bye."

Dawn padded up, "Dawny, Daddy and I miss you a bunch. We've met plenty of bats who would have been great friends with you…we just wish you could have met them. They're amazing animals, and…and they gave us peace, by telling us the truth about you. Dawny, we kept up hope right up to the end…but…we need to move on. Good-bye, Dawn."

"Bye, Dawn," added Dusk. "We hope that the place where you are now is filled with happiness."

The couple padded back, and the next one moved up.

"Aury, we hope you don't mind, but we kinda took another daughter as our own," explained Richard. "Nothing legal, it's just kind of a mutual agreement. You would have been great sisters with Foxglove, and the brother and sister _she_ took in. We hope you're not angry with her for giving us peace. Your mother and I have always thought of you, but…we, too, must move on. Aurora, good-bye."

"So long, Aury, we'll always miss you," said Rosie.

Curtis then padded up and added, "Alicia, you were a beautiful gift that was snatched away from us. We always wanted you back, but when Foxglove told us the truth, well, we had no choice but to move on. I only ask that you be happy for her. She is a Peacemaker; she gave us peace after twenty years. She will be happy now with her husband and with the Rescue Rangers. We hope you're happy wherever you may be. Good-bye, dear Alicia."

"Mommy and Daddy will never forget you," concluded Grace. "So long, my baby."

The last couple padded back from the vine.

Now, it was Foxglove's turn again.

With Dale holding her wing, they padded up to the foxglove, and she said, "Mom? Dad? It's me again. We talked a while back, but a lot has happened to me, and I need to talk to you again.

"I hope you forgive me for letting others share this place, but they, too, lost their family like I did.

"Anyways, I told you all about Dale, the most handsome male on this planet."

Dale smiled and blushed again.

"I told you of how he loved me so much that he let me go because he didn't want to see me get hurt…but a lot happened since that night. It…it took…an encounter with the owl who killed you…and almost killed _us_…to make us realise that we were wrong about many things. I did what I could…with the help of plenty of friends…to get him back…and he took me back."

The batmaid smiled.

"He's my fiancé again! We'll be getting married later today, and I wanted to let you know that. I…really wish you could have met him. You would have loved having him in the family."

She echosounded at her mate.

"He's a wonderful male, strong, brave, funny, and random. I love him more than I thought possible, and even though he's a chipmunk, I know you would have approved of this. You should have seen him at this night-club…"

Her voice faded as she remembered that wonderful night when he took her back.

"He also fights crime, and I do too. We're all part of the Rescue Rangers now, one big happy family. Not only are Otis and Feyyanna my new brother and sister, but I also see Chip, Gadget, Monty, and Zipper as brothers and sisters, even though they aren't bats. I wish I could give them all a huge hug at the same time and tell them how much I love them, and how my life is now complete…even though you're not in it anymore. I _really_ wish you could be here to hear it all and take part in this…but I, too, must move on. I'll always miss you. Mom, Dad, good-bye."

Dale then stammered, "Um, Mister and Missus…um…Bat…you have a wonderful daughter here. I also wish I could have met you so I could congratulate you on a job well done, even if you only did a little bit. You did do just enough to set her on the right way, and she was able to straighten herself out when things went wrong. I…I love her with all my heart, and I know she loves me too, after all she's been through and all she's done to get my attention. You should have seen what she did in order to win me back! And…I'm sorry for dumpin' her before, but you can rest assured that I'll never leave her again, ever. Hey, I also wish you could have met _my_ parents! You would have had a blast with them! I…um…also hope you don't mind me givin' her _my_ last name because we just don't know yours. But…I guess this is how things have to be, bummer, isn't it? Um…Mom, Dad, we're goin' to get married now…so all I have left to say is…good-bye, and thanks."

Once more, the animals gathered another pile of pebbles under the vine.

With that job done, Dale then proceeded to take a strand from the vine, cut it, and craftily make a small wreath. He then turned to his mate, and placed it on her head.

Foxglove smiled again.

"A perfect fit, Cute Stuff!" she giggled happily, twitching her tail a trifle, and perking up her ears, as he did so too.

And she continued being happy, despite the funeral service.

She continued being happy even when Dale removed the wreath, to be later placed on again at the ceremony.

She continued being happy as they all turned and padded/flew back to the vehicles, and left the park and all its sad and dark memories.

She continued being happy because she was a Peacemaker; she had given peace to those who needed it; she had brought herself and the others to _make_ peace with their past, and now she, and all the rest, were happy, and she herself would be more than happy because this was going to be the happiest night of her life.

And Dale was happy.

As his parents.

And Clarice.

And Otis and Feyyanna.

And all the other bats and parents.

And the Rescue Rangers.

Despite _any_ circumstance, even when sadness and grief came in, the Peacemakers would always be happy…


	36. TRIAKONTESDUO — DEATH OF A CURSE

**TRIAKONTESDUO — DEATH OF A CURSE**

A crowd had gathered, a _huge_ crowd, much bigger than the one that assembled several months ago. They weren't near the pond; however, they were now below the Rangers' tree.

And it seemed that this time the crowd included every single animal whom the Rescue Rangers had helped, practically every representative of the small mammal press, and every animal that had been in The Nutshell Club that amazing night.

Even the amateur comedians who had performed the other night were present, as well as plenty from the professional circuit.

Dr. Qandlier was there with his wife, as well as Dr. Johanna, and Dr. Jay, an elderly cardinal lady.

Also present were many members from the RAS, _and_ the UN, including a certain elderly mouse couple: the male from the United States, and the female from Hungary…

Midge had returned as well, with Chirp Sing beside her, and this time Sparky and Buzz were there, too. Canina LeFur was there, at Clarice's insistence. Naturally, Tammy, Bink, Mrs. Hazelnut, and Gadget's long time car racing friend, Melody, had showed up, and there was no way Clarice was going to miss out on this, either. Many of Chip and Dale's relatives and old friends from upstate were there, too.

Even Tom, the mechanical cat, and Butch the bulldog, were there, as was Quennie and her entire hive. Besides wanting to take part in Dale and Foxglove's happiness, they were also part of Security, though it was doubtful that any of the Rangers' enemies would try to interrupt things once again.

Chip and Gadget had insisted on having a private ceremony, but Dale and Foxglove insisted on letting the whole world know about this.

Dale even insisted that Gadget announce it to the press _one week before_.

She was shocked, naturally, but then she realised that it was their way of telling her that the previous mishap was not her fault at all. And if it _had_ been—

—they had _forgiven_ her.

Gadget had _also_ been freed from her past, for she, too, had now made peace with it. Though she would always miss her father, she, too, had moved on, and that was _quite_ obvious from the way she was looking at Chip now…

And, she thought, as long as everyone else had decided to pull out all the stops, she decided to find her old friend, Harpo Mouseo, rent a tuxedo for him, and bring him to the ceremony as well.

The crowd was split by a wide aisle, at the front of which was a temporary stage, which appeared to have some bulky material on it, but it was covered with a brown cloth and ornamental flowers.

At the other end was Dale, the Rescue Rangers, Chirp Sing, Pierre, the bridesmaids, and Tom and Butch. The males, except for Tom and Butch, were in black tuxedoes and the females in light blue dresses, including Gadget.

"Ready?" asked Chip.

Dale sighed resolutely, eyed the stage, stood up straight, straightened his ears, twitched his tail, and said, "Let's go."

The crowd hushed as first Tom and Butch padded forward, followed by the groom, who was escorted by the best man, Monterey Jack, Zipper, Chirp Sing, and Pierre.

The crowd did not close up behind them, because the bride and her maids had something special planned.

The males then arrived at the stage; Chip, Monterey, Chirp Sing, and Pierre raised the new willow leaf canopy, and Dale padded under it.

Zipper simply perched himself on Monterey's shoulder.

Wings flapped again.

Everyone looked up.

Flying in from the setting sun, a flock of female bats arrived at the park in a perfect arrowhead formation, and leading them was a certain batmaid, whose head was covered with a new translucent veil crowned with a digitalis wreath.

It was the second time this bat navigated more with sight than with sound, as the veil caused "static" in her sonar.

Each bat, except for the leader, was carrying in her foot-paws bouquets of different flowers.

The flock circled above the crowd seven times, and swooped down to land beside the bridesmaids, and each picked up the bouquets in her wings just before touching down.

Foxglove, however, continued her forward sweep until she reached the stage, and circled Dale and the booth once before turning again and flying back to her maids.

Once she landed, Otis padded up to her and extended his left wing to her.

Smiling, she gently took it.

Both turned toward the stage, and padded toward Foxglove's ultimate destiny.

Behind them was Gadget, carrying magnolias; Tammy, carrying tulips (and of course, never taking her eyes off Chip); Mrs. Hazelnut, carrying roses; Melody, carrying forget-me-nots; Feyyanna, carrying daisies; Janice, carrying dandelions; Dawn, carrying orchids; Rosie, carrying violets; Grace, carrying buttercups; Clarice, carrying meadowsweet; Dalee, carrying bluebells; and Nikoma, carrying lilies.

This time the crowd closed up behind them as they approached the stage, and the procession stopped when they reached it.

Phinehas, holding a microphone, padded next to Dale and asked, "Who gives away this bride?"

Straightening up, her brother replied, "I give her away!"

With that, he released his sister, and she padded up to the stage, while he padded aside, allowing the bridesmaids to place the flowers at the foot of the stage.

Foxglove circled Dale again, never taking her eyes or ears off him, and then she stood beside him.

Dale, ever so carefully, lifted her veil, eliciting gasps of admiration from the audience.

Phinehas began, "Friends, we are gathered here to unite this couple in holy matrimony: Dale Segoleh Oakmont, and Foxglove of New York. If there is anyone here who has substantial reason as to why these two should not be married, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."

It was odd, because at that moment the entire blood supply of the crowd _froze_ when they saw/heard the look that Dale, Foxglove, the Rescue Rangers, the bridesmaids, and Tom and Butch gave to them as they turned to face them.

Not to mention that all ears were laid back and all tails were lowered as well.

A _very_ frightening silence came over the entire crowd for a few moments.

"Okay, then, let's move on," said Phinehas, with a shrug, snapping the audience back to the here and now, causing a wave of ears to rise again.

Chip then took the _new_ wedding contract from his pocket and gave it to Dale, who then gave it to Phinehas.

Adjusting his glasses, Phinehas unrolled the parchment and read out loud:

_"Covenant of Matrimony, between Dale Segoleh Oakmont, and Foxglove of New York._

_I, Dale Segoleh Oakmont, do henceforth take Foxglove for my wife,_

_and I will love her with all of my heart, soul, and body,_

_and I will protect her and provide a home and an identity for her,_

_I will be a husband to her,_

_I will be there whenever she needs me…"_

As Phinehas read the elaborate document, Dale and Foxglove lost themselves in each other's eyes/ears.

They had redrawn the contract, and turned it into something better: a _covenant_, and they both knew perfectly well what it included. It just needed to be made public.

_"…I, Foxglove of New York, do henceforth take Dale for my husband_

_and I will love him with all my heart, soul, and body,_

_and I will be a wife to him,_

_and I will comfort him and support him, and I will be his helpmeet;_

_honouring, obeying, and respecting him,_

_being there whenever he needs me, in all circumstances,_

_from now until death do us part…"_

It was going to be wonderful, just wonderful.

Several extremely long minutes later, Phinehas finished reading the contract, rolled it up again, and gave it to Foxglove.

Then, he asked, "The rings, please."

From out of the crowd, Bink came up, carrying a small cushion in front of her. She bounced up to Chip, who took out one ring, then she went to Gadget, who took the other ring, and then she bounced back to her seat.

Bink's joviality caused a few chuckles from those present, but she didn't mind.

Chip then gave his ring to Dale, and Gadget gave her ring to Foxglove.

For some reason, Monterey's heart skipped a beat, a tear formed in his eye, and yet his face shone like never before.

_ Mission accomplished._

However, the ring that Dale held had been resized to serve a different purpose. Since Foxglove had no "ring digits" as Dale did, they had originally planned to put her ring on a string so it would hang from her neck.

Now, however, Dale took Foxglove's left wing, extended it carefully, took hold of her thumbclaw, and placed the tiny ring on it, while saying, "With this ring, I thee wed."

Slyly, he quickly bent down and gave her thumbclaw a quick kiss, his ears back and his tail in a blur.

Foxglove nearly lost control over herself again, but she calmed down when she heard the crowd snickering.

_Just a little longer!_

She then took the ring from Gadget, and nimbly placed it on Dale's left middle digit.

"With this ring—"

Foxglove suddenly fainted and fell flat on the stage.

Dale gasped and his ears and tail fell limp, as did the audience, but just as he turned to Chip for help, his best friend also collapsed, along with Monterey, Zipper, Otis, and Pierre, who dropped the booth as well, and it now lay on the stage with them.

Then Gadget, Tammy, and some of the bridesmaids fainted one by one as well.

Horrified, he turned to Phinehas, but he, too, tipped over and fell unconscious.

Whirling toward the audience, he saw Otis, all the bats, and Chip's parents drop to the ground as well. And then—

A telltale giggle from Foxglove caused him to freeze.

Bink fell over, but not before giggling as well.

Clarice smiled, raised a paw to her head, and gracefully fell down, followed by Canina.

Tom and Butch did as well, and pretty soon the rest of the audience got in on the joke as well.

Dale just stood there, arms crossed and tapping his foot-paw, stiff ears and tail again, with a mock-angry expression on his face.

"This is _really_ funny, guys!"

Moments later, the entire audience was on the floor, giving a few bouts of laughter.

Dale then looked at his wife, who was lying gracefully on the stage, and he whispered, "Oh, I'm goin' to get you **_goooooood_**…"

With that, he swayed a bit, rolled up his eyeballs, and toppled right over her.

She squealed, but an instant before Dale collapsed on her, he extended his arms and stopped himself by placing his forepaws on both sides of her head.

_"—I THEE WED!"_ she screeched, causing him to laugh hysterically.

He then rolled over, lying next to her, with his eyes crossed and his tongue lolling out.

With the joke over, all those on the floor picked themselves up and patted down their ruffled fur and clothing.

Having settled down, Foxglove kissed Dale's thumb once more, nearly causing _him_ to lose control of his tail and emotions, as well as his hormones.

He shivered for a moment, and upon seeing that, Phinehas adjusted his tuxedo and said, "Uh oh, I'd better hurry up and make this legal," and of course, the audience chuckled again. "Now then…"

Phinehas cleared his throat, and began reciting the _Beireishit Bara'_ ("In the beginning", i.e., the first chapter of the book of Genesis).

At the end of the First Day, he said, _"Vayehi 'ereb, vayehi voqer yom echad"_ ("And the evening and the morning were on day one").

The crowd repeated, _"Vayehi 'ereb, vayehi voqer yom echad!"_

And he said it once more, _"Vayehi 'ereb, vayehi voqer yom echad."_

He went on to the Second Day, and they repeated the last line again, except that they ended with _yom sheny_, day two. This went on, with _yom shaloshy_, Third Day, and _yom arba'yi_, Fourth Day.

Day Five, however, was recited by Foxglove, with everyone repeating the last line: _yom chameshy_.

Day Six was recited by Dale: _yom shishy_.

The entire crowd then recited Day Seven, the _Vayekhullu_ ("Thus were finished…"), and now Phinehas repeated it after them—

_…and behold, it was very good…_

And it was over.

Dale and Foxglove were now officially married!

"You may now kiss the bride."

Both looked/echosounded at each other, incredulous of what they had just done.

Foxglove finally had a last name!

Dale, the eternal Goof-up, Klutz, Clown, and Comedian, now had a mate for life!"

"Um, you may now kiss the bride."

But what was more, the Oakmont curse had finally been broken.

Pierre and Dalee padded over to each other, embraced tightly, and began to weep for joy.

The curse was _dead_, at long last.

"Dale? You can kiss her now."

The audience began laughing again.

For a moment, they just stood there, looking/echosounding at each other's eyes, wondering if what had just happened was for real, or if it was a figment of someone's imagination.

"Hey, are you listening to me? Kiss her!"

The laughter increased.

Hormones skyrocketed on both of them to such levels that both were actually frozen in place.

_"__Will you smooch her already or do we have to glue your lips together so we can get on with it__?"_ chattered the elder, eliciting guffaws from those present, finally snapping the couple out of their shock.

With their eyes full of love, _true_ love, passion, tenderness, relief, joy, peace, and an incredible yearning, they embraced, and kissed like never before, both tails in a blur, and ears laid back.

The crowd erupted in a thunderous bout of applause and cheering, and began throwing rice, nuts, candy, cashews, acorns, walnuts, corn, and even wheat, at the couple, but they were so caught up in their kiss that they never noticed.

In fact, after a while, all of the traditional food was spent and they were _still_ kissing and causing quite a strong breeze with their tails.

Phinehas raised an eyebrow, and then he looked at Monterey, who then turned and looked at Chip, who smiled and shrugged and then turned to Pierre, who simply smiled and shook his head.

"I taught him everythin' he knows," he chuckled, as did his wife.

After some time, the couple showed no signs of coming up for air, so the canopy holders decided to drop the curtain and give the two a moment of privacy.

Some annoying minutes later the couple _still_ had not broken.

So, one of the comedians in the audience, Mortimer, got up and threw a stick of a particular type of red-wrapped cinnamon chewing gum, and began singing a particular song.

The rest of the comedians present laughed when they heard the song, and they, too, joined in, and soon the rest of the audience was also laughing again _and_ singing the eternal jingle:

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=bCxiuuJVT-8 )

_ "…So kiss a little longer,_

_ Stay close a little longer,_

_ Hold tight a little longer,_

_ Longer with Big Red!_

_ The Big Red freshness lasts right through it!_

_ Your fresh breath goes on and on,_

_ While you chew it!_

_ Say good-bye a little longer!_

_ Make it last a little longer…_

_ Give your breath long lasting freshness…!_

_ With Big Red!"_

Finally, the couple emerged from beneath the canopy, gasping and chuckling at the improvised commercial.

_"…Luceeeeeeeeeelle…!"_ they both gasped.

"Uh, sorry about that, folks," gasped Dale, blushing along with Foxglove, both trying to bring their rational thought back on line, their ears up, and their tails to a standstill.

"Hey, if you're not married, find yourself someone. You're missin' out on _plenty_…"

He said that last word with his trademark sinisterness, causing his wife to shiver again, and she playfully shoved him.

"Hey, just 'wait a little longer'!" he whispered, chuckling. "I'm not goin' anywhere!"

Phinehas then padded up to him and gave him the microphone.

Dale spoke, "Okay, can everyone hear me now? Good. Well, Chip, Monty, Zipper, Dad, Chirp, Phinehas, thanks for all your help. You can sit down now."

The escorts thusly placed the canopy away and padded off.

Foxglove raised an eyebrow, "Honey, what's going on?"

Dale smiled, "Somethin' special. You can go ahead and sit too, Foxy. It's a surprise."

With murmurs from the audience, all the participants left the stage and stood at the front of the crowd.

Dale spoke again, "Okay, everyone try to sit wherever you can."

And they did.

"This is somethin' special that I wanted to do for Foxy. You see, folks, those of you who were in The Nutshell Club the night we got back together know that Foxy sang three songs that really got to me. So, Foxy, as we prepared the weddin', I talked to Clarice a bit…secretly…and she kinda helped me whip somethin' up for you."

Foxglove's heart jumped, as did her tail and ears, and she kept on smiling at him.

"Clarice, guys, you can come up now."

In the audience, a certain chipmunkmaid smiled, stood, and padded onto the stage, followed by her band, and Chip. The band, however, only included the shrew, the rat, and the canaries.

"She helped me choose this song for you, and when I heard it, I _knew_ that it said everythin' I felt about you. I practised it a lot, so I hope this comes out right."

The band then removed the flowers and the brown cloth and uncovered their instruments.

Chip took his place on one keyboard, beside the female shrew.

"And I hope this makes up for the _other_ song I sang a while back. Foxy, this is from the bottom of my heart:"

The audience hushed as the performers powered up their tools, and the song began.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=Dq0llrCYtCQ )

Chip began a simple keyboard instrumental, assisted by the shrew lady.

It was a slow romantic song, and after a few bars, Dale lowered his ears and tail, and began,

_"Oh, wo—oh! Ohhh…"_ Foxglove sat back, stunned, ears and tail down.

_ "It must have been cold there in my shadow,"_ She _had_ been under his shadow for a long time.

_ "To never have sunlight on your face."_ And she _had_ passed very dark days, even for a nocturnal mammal.

_"You were content to let me shine—that's your way…"_ Yes, she was _so_ unselfish, and willing to let him make whatever decision he felt necessary, even if it was unbearably painful.

_"You always walked a step behind."_ Always, always in the dark, secretly echosounding at him, and at one point even _left_ behind, but no more. She would now be _beside_ him, forever.

_"So I was the one with all the glory," _Even with the Comedian dead, all the other Dales shone, albeit without her.

_"While you were the one with all the strength."_ And she never received any glory, but had to draw strength from who-knows-where to get through every night without him.

_"A beautiful face without a name—for so long…"_ But no more. She would be an _Oakmont_ forever…

_"A beautiful smile to hide the pain!"_ Well, she never smiled during the pain, but even before he first proposed, the smile covered the pain of wanting and waiting.

The performers backed him up as he entered the chorus,

_"Ah…"_

_"Did you ever know that you're my hero?" What? ME, a hero?_ she thought, very incredulously.

_"And everythin' I would like to be?"_ _I…I am? _She was stunned again. She always thought _he_ was _her_ hero! _She_ had always looked up to _him_!

_"I can fly higher than an eagle,"_ He could, now with her help. She had been part of his resurrection, and now they _both_ would fly…

_"For you are The Wind Beneath My Wings."_ That was something totally new to Foxglove. All this time she considered him _her_ support, The Wind Beneath _Her_ Wings, and now, he threw that right back at her. She never had a good self-image, especially in her dark days, but now, she could hardly believe it. Here was Dale, saying that he thought of _her_ as highly as she thought of _him_, when she always considered herself nothing more than cod liver oil, and now she had gone from fish guts to a powerful force of nature, capable of lifting her beloved to unreachable heights…

During the instrumental, Dale placed his microphone on a stand, padded back, and took a rodent-sized electric bass.

The next verse began, accentuated by him and the rat lady on drums,

_"It might have appeared to go unnoticed,"_ Invisible, inaudible, even in ultrasound…

_"But I've got it all here in my heart."_ All that she was, all that she did, all of that was part of _him_ now…

_"I want you to know I know the truth—of course I know it…"_ And he had always known it:

_"I would be nothin' without youuu…!"_ Not only incomplete, but also practically non-existent, _dead_, without her, as it had been proven earlier. Foxglove felt lighter than ever before with all that Dale was telling her. Her love for him kept increasing to levels she never thought possible.

This ceremony needed to end _now_—

_ "Ah…"_

_ "Did you ever know that you're my heeeero?" Foxy, without you, I would be dead. You will always be a hero, for me, and everyone._

_ "You're everythin' I wish I could be!" You're stronger than you think, Foxy. You kept goin' when I would have quit. Oh, man, I LOVE YOU!_

_ "I could fly higher than an eagle," Or an owl. Or anythin' that comes against us, be it a predator, a criminal, or a curse. And why?_

_ "For you are The Wind Beneath My Wings." You've made me fly, Foxy. No one could do that but you._

_ "Ah…"_ Dale lovingly insisted,

_"Did I ever tell you you're my—hero?" I wish I had told you that earlier, my Hero,_ she thought.

_ "You're everythin', everythin'…!…I wish I could be!" Oh, Dale…**DALE**…_

_ "Ohhh, and I…!…I can fly higher than an eagle!" Dale…I…I never knew…never…_

_ "For you are The Wind Beneath My Wings…"_ Foxglove had no more words.

_ "'Cause you are The Wiiiiiiind…Beneath My Wings."_ No one had ever spoken, much less sang, so highly of her before. She even felt so undeserving of him now, so humbled, yet so exalted…

_"Oh, Wind Beneath My Wings!"_ he called to her.

_ "You, you, you…you are The Wind Beneath My Wings…"_ He would never stop her calling that. He commanded,

_"Flyyy…flyyyyyy…fly away!"_ Fly, with him, forever and ever.

_"You let me fly so high—"_ To unknown places, scary, exciting, but an adventure nevertheless. The others backed him a bit,

_ "Oh, you, you…you, The Wind Beneath My Wings,"_ The adventure of a lifetime together…

_ "Oh, you, you, you…The Wind Beneath My Wings," _Now and forever, she would be. He sang alone again,

_"Flyyy…flyyyyyy…! So high against the sky!"_ She felt as if she _was_ flying, so light-headed, soaring through space beside him, with a love that transcended all known boundaries…

_"So high I almost touch the sky…"_ The drums and bass hushed, and the song quieted. _But I'll never reach it as high as you have, Foxy. And all I can say now is:_

He held the microphone, and said, teary eyed,

_"Thank you, thank you, thank God for you,_

_ The Wind Beneath My Wings."_

The song ended.

"Thank you, my Wife," he added.

The audience roared.

Foxglove suddenly flew to the stage and grabbed her husband, sobbing, "No, Dale, no! Thank _you_! Thank _YOU_! Thank God for **_YOU_**! Dale, _YOU'RE_ The Wind Beneath My Wings! Oh, Dale, thank you! Thank…you…"

The tamias nearly toppled over from the force with which the pipistrell pounced on him, but he held her tightly as she sobbed, and he sobbed as well, only without any pain this time. Their ears were low and their tails were a blur again.

Of course, at the sight of that, practically everyone in the audience shed tears as well.

This was _true_ joy.

Dale wanted to say something to his wife to calm her down, but no words would coalesce in his brain.

Maybe none were needed at this point.

All he could do was hold her and let her feel his love for her as they shared heartbeats and tail swishing together again.

After a while, they calmed down a little, and Foxglove echosounded up at him now, ears straight.

She sniffed a bit, smiled, and asked, "Um, Cute Stuff, could _you_ kinda sit down now, too?"

He looked at her for a moment, and asked, "Why?"

"[sniff]—Well, um, I…kinda talked to Clarice too. I didn't know you were going to sing to me, so I asked her to help me find a song for _you_, too—"

The couple then turned and looked at the chipmunkmaid, who then wiped a tear and smiled, "Hey, I wasn't about to spill the beans for either of you! Besides, we all like nice surprises, don't we?"

Everyone laughed as Dale looked back at his wife.

He smiled, and whispered, "Okay. This had better be good!"

With that, he put the microphone on the stand and padded off the stage.

And now Foxglove had the full right to echosound—

_"SHHHHHHH!"_ hissed Rosie, and then she mock-scolded in ultrasound, with her tail down and ears laid back, "You don't have to do that in _public_!"

"Oh, like that's ever stopped _you_," quipped her husband.

She playfully shoved him and gave him a sinister smile.

Dale looked at them mouthing each other, but he was unable to hear what they were saying, so he didn't think too much about that.

Foxglove blushed a trifle, and then said to her confused mate, "Uh, never mind, Honey, I'll explain later."

As she spoke, Clarice gave a signal, and the rest of the band came up on stage now, but for some reason, _she_ padded down, and Gadget padded up.

"But like I said, I also spoke with Clarice, and she helped me with this song which says everything _I_ feel about you. It probably won't be as good as the one _you_ sang, _but_, if you thought _my_ other three songs were great, well," she imitated Feyyanna, "yew ain't herd nuthin' yeyet!"

Everyone chuckled at that little Texan reference, but then hushed as Foxglove's song began.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=X-0YAmY_vDQ )

Chip and the shrew lady played an opening sequence on the keyboard that sounded a bit like a flute.

Again, it was slow, but very romantic, and very Irish.

Foxglove turned her back to Dale, looked up to infinity, and began,

_"Every night in my dreams,_

_ I see you, I feel you."_ Whoa, boy…

_"That is how I know you…go on."_ Well, they had already talked about their dreams. But those wouldn't be necessary now.

_"Far across the distance,_

_ And spaces between us,_

_ You have come to show you…go on."_ From beyond their broken hearts, and even from beyond death's door. And _both_ of them would go on.

Foxglove chorused,

_"Near, far, wherever you are,"_ She turned a trifle, and was now looking at her love from the corner of her left eye.

_"I believe that—the heart does…go oooon…"_ The heart, the soul, the spirit always goes on, even when the body dies. But those two bodies would go on for a long time now…

_"Once more, you open the door."_ The door to his heart, which he had shut so painfully so long ago.

_"And you're here in my heart and,"_ She held her wing to her heart.

_"My heart will go on and on."_ She, too had shut the door, but now that they both had entered, the door would close again.

No one else would enter, not friends, not family.

Only Dale and Foxglove.

She continued, again with the drums and bass accentuating,

_"Love can touch us one time,"_ Albeit, with _pain_.

_"And last for a lifetime."_ She turned a bit more, giving Dale a view of her profile.

_ "And never let go till…we're gone."_ But they both knew that that point would be long in coming, and now they would both go together in their journey toward Beyond. Here, Gadget padded behind her and backed her up,

_"Love was when I loved you,"_ And as was expected, Gadget was glancing at Chip, smiling. Chip felt he was going to burst into flames from the way she was staring at him. His ears lowered, and his tail moved out of control.

_"One true time—I hooold to—"_ Chip looked down at Clarice, who just looked at Gadget, and she gave her an approving wink. Foxglove continued by herself,

_"In my life we'll always…go on." And we'll go on together, my love._ Foxglove turned a bit more.

_"Near, far, wherever you are,"_ Here, across the state, across the ocean, above the stars…

_"I believe that—the heart does…go oooon…" Foxy, I believe too…_ The rest discreetly repeated,

_"The heart does go on—" _Foxglove continued,

_"Once more, you open the door." For you, Foxy, only for you._

_ "And you're—"_ Gadget backed her up again, smiling at _her_ love,

_"Here in my heart, and—"_ Chip blushed.

_"My heart will go on and oooon…hmmmmmmm…"_ Foxglove now faced Dale fully. If her soul had cried out in agony before, now it would cry out in triumph.

She let the instrumental play, then she took a deep breath, balled up her wings, and cried,

_"Youuuuuuu're heeeeeeere! There's noooothing I fear!"_ Nothing. Not any enemy, or even death now.

_"And I knooow—"_ Gadget came in once again,

_"—Know that my heart will…"_

_ "Go ooooon…" Dale, thank you for going with me forever._ She and Gadget took a deep breath and called out again,

_"Weeee'll stay!" We can now stay together, Chip, now that you gave us a chance…_ Foxglove cried,

_"Foreeeever this way!" Together, forever, always…_

_ "You are safe—"_ Gadget brought one paw to her chest and looked tenderly at her tamias,

_"—Safe in my heart and—"_ And hushed, as Foxglove took it home,

_"My heart will go on and oooooon…" It will never fail you again, my love, not even when we die._

She then gave a very long and tender conclusion,

_"Ooooooo…oooooooooooo…"_

The audience roared once again.

Dale jumped up, embraced her, and planted a very tender kiss on her lips, causing ears to lay back and tails to blur again.

Yes, this new life would go on because he let her come in.

Gadget, meanwhile, left her microphone and padded to the keyboard, where she placed a light kiss on Chip's ear.

Chip, of course, nearly melted.

"Thanks," she whispered above the roar.

And all Chip could do was blush, lower his ears, and swish his tail like never before.

Yes, it would _barely_ be the start, but it would be a _start_, nonetheless.

Meanwhile, the applause continued as Dale and Foxglove separated.

Dale looked at the audience for a moment, raised his ears, and then he spread his paws out toward Foxglove, cueing the audience to applaud her now.

They did, with renewed intensity.

Dale then spread his paws out to the performers, and the audience cheered them now.

He then spread his paws to Clarice, and she, too, was credited.

Dale hesitated for a moment, and then he suddenly gestured to himself.

The audience laughed, of course, but still gave him his credit.

Dale hesitated again, gave an insane smile, and gestured at the bass.

The audience, now fully aware of the joke, cheered loudest at that point…

* * *

And the celebration continued through the night.

The couple decided to hold off their consummation for a little longer and hold the reception right there and then.

And it would be the most unforgettable reception in history.

The parents, who had travelled back to New York for the wedding, and everyone else who had not been at The Nutshell Club the night Dale and Foxglove were reconciled, were treated to an encore presentation of the "Born To Be Alive" dance number which Dale had pulled out right from the top of his head.

Of course, the couple refused to rehearse the dance. As it had been randomly choreographed once, so it was again.

And this time, they even added a _conga line_.

Of course, Pierre and Dalee had no idea that their son could contort his body in so many ways…

Pierre actually felt a little jealous, but he was happy nonetheless.

Later, the couple cut the wedding cake, which was as tall as they were.

After the knife was put away, Dale held Foxglove's wing.

They wagged their tails, looked/echosounded at each other sinisterly one more time, turned to the cake, lowered their ears, opened their jaws _really_ wide (fully exhibiting Dale's incisors and Foxglove's fangs), and took two mercilessly HUGE bites from the cake.

Straightening up, they looked at each other.

Once more, the audience laughed.

As did the couple, obviously laughing at each other's icing-decorated faces, but Foxglove was laughing the hardest because Dale had his cheek pouches so full of cake and icing that it looked as if he was going to explode, added to the fact that he decided to cross his eyes at this point.

Toad face?

They spit a few bits of icing at each other in a sudden burst of laughter, but neither of them minded that.

Of course, they cleaned up, eating as much as they could of the cake that was on them.

And as what was left of the cake was cut and passed around, along with the rest of the food, the couple and the other Rangers went to make the rounds of greeting their guests, who gave them their gifts and their congratulations, with straight ears and swishing tails all around.

* * *

First and foremost, Dale and Foxglove went to greet their closest friends and teammates.

"Interestin' joke you pulled, Chip. I must say, you got me _really_ good." said Dale.

"Well, you're not the only funny one around here, Dale."

"Of course not. Foxy's funny, Gadget's funny, Monty's funny, and Zipper's funny."

Dale looked mischievously at his best friend for a moment, who then gave him yet another bonk.

But of course, he didn't mind.

He hugged his "brother" and then turned to the others, "Gadget, Monty, Zipper, thanks for everythin'. You're wonderful friends."

"And _family_, as far as I'm concerned," added Foxglove. "You all have done so much for us—for _me_—after all that I did before…well, thanks guys. And thanks, Gadget, for my new short wave radio!"

"Aw, it was nothing, Foxy. I always regretted that I never made it digital and that kinda kept nagging me in the back of my head and so I decided to give it a try anyways but then you left so I was kinda left with no reason to try it but I still wanted to even though I couldn't bring myself to do it but the ideas kept running in my head so by the time you came back I knew _exactly_ what to do and here it is!"

Foxglove looked one more time at the now slightly larger radio—with its new LCD screen and digital controls—smiled, and hugged her "sister".

Dale continued, "And Gadget, it's great that you and Chip finally got together. You both are in for a real treat!"

Gadget lowered her ears and tail and blushed, "Thanks, Dale. But we would have never gotten together if it wasn't for you, not that we wanted you and Foxy to break up in the first place in order for us to come together, because if that's the case then we _didn't_ get together because of that and it was also because Chip didn't want to even after all we discussed and after he told me of all that I did to you without even knowing it and it was so unselfish of him not to want me to go through any of the pain you two went through even though I wouldn't mind risking the pain since I love him so much and now I know that I _truly_ love him but again it wasn't because you two broke up in the first place because if _that_ was to happen in order for us to come together then we would have gladly sacrificed—"

Chip silenced her with a soft kiss on her lips.

"We get the point, Gadget," he explained, lowering his ears, blurring his tail, and making her blush even more.

"'Ey, pally, watch yerself," huffed Monterey. "I promised 'er father I would look after 'er and—"

"We know, Monty, we know," said Foxglove. "And you will always be on Chip's case to make sure he behaves himself. Monty, you're so caring and strong. You…you've kept faith long after everyone else gave it up. We can't thank you enough for it."

"And thank you and Zipper for fishin' out our wedding rings! Monty, I don't know whether to hug you for the gift or sock you a big one for spyin' on me like that."

Monterey just smiled and gave both of them a big smothering hug.

"'Ey, you an' Zip ain't the only ones who learned stealth, roight, Zip?"

"You think no one noticed you leaving in the middle of the night with all that stuff, Dale? And we could have stopped you from lighting that fire, but we knew you were doing what you thought was for the best for all of us. Still, you two got a better canopy, contract, and veil, didn't you?"

Dale coughed a bit as Monterey released him.

When he got his breath back, he smiled immensely at his friends, "We got better _everythin'_ now—[COUGH!]—Thanks guys, thank you all."

The couple hugged them all and moved on to the next of kin:

"Son, we're so proud of you," sniffed Pierre, ears up and his tail in a blur.

In fact, _all_ tamii ears were up and all their tails were in a blur as well.

"I just wish your grandfather could be here to see this curse finally broken."

Dale sniffed as well, "Me too, dad."

Dalee ran up and hugged her son as tightly as she could, "Oh, Dale, that was so wonderful! I know that now you'll be a wonderful husband!"

"No doubt he will," said Foxglove, very tenderly.

"Dale, that was _awesome_!" exclaimed Chap, hugging them both.

"And so romantic, too!" added Nikoma, also adding to the embracing list.

The new couple was about to answer—

"And it was about time, too!" added another middle-aged chipmunk lady, with a reddish-maroon nose, padding up to them.

She was followed by a male chipmunk who had a black nose, and two chipmunk cubs, with black noses as well.

Once again, their ears and tails expressed their happiness.

Dale looked at them, and smiled, "Chattie, James, it's so nice to see you again!"

The couples hugged, and Foxglove asked, "Let's see, Chattie, you're Dalee's cousin?"

"Yes. And this is my husband, James, and my two cubs, Dale's 'nephews', Zip and Zap."

"Hi, Dale, thanks for inviting us," said James.

"Hi Uncle Dale! Hi Auntie Foxglove!" piped the cubs, as they ran to hug the new couple.

The bat lady stood back at that statement.

She was already an _aunt_ now!

"Zowie! You two are sure gettin' big now!"

True, the cubs were at least five millimetres taller than the last time Chip or Dale saw them.

Chattie said, "They sure are. They're quite a pawful! I just hope whatever cubs you have are just a bit calmer than these two!"

"And we hope that you don't fall asleep again when you have to babysit them," added James, chuckling a trifle.

"You what?" asked Foxglove.

"You're never goin' to stop rubbin' that in, are you?" asked Dale lowering his ears and tail. "Well, let me tell you that I'm new and improved! I can babysit _any_ cub now! Hey, I babysat a _gorilla_ once!"

Zip and Zap ooh'ed at that.

"And he did, too," said Chip.

Chattie concluded, "Well, in that case, Foxglove, let me tell you that you've got yourself one _heck_ of a husband now. We wish for you two to be happy always."

"Thanks," they replied.

"Baby sat a _gorilla_? I have to see that to believe it!" called out an elderly voice.

Ears perked up again.

They all turned and Nikoma said, "Chippy! I thought I smelled you here!"

"Cousin Chet!" exclaimed Chip. "You made it, and the cubs, too!"

"Cousin?" asked Foxglove.

Except for his face, Chet was completely grey, as was the elder female, and both had glasses on black noses.

Chippy's trademark beret was gone, but her headfur pin was not.

Dale explained to Foxglove, "Well, he's actually Nikoma's uncle, so we both used to call him 'uncle', but then we decided to do him a favour and call him 'cousin' so he wouldn't feel so old."

"Hey!" he protested, lowering his ears and tail for a moment.

"And those—" referring to two tan-furred cubs who padded up now, the male with near-spiked headfur, and the female with black headfur and a pink bow on her head, "—are Sam and Sue. They're his nephews, but he adopted them after their parents were killed. They call us 'cousins' as well. And the handsome young mouse here—" A tan-furred young mouse, wearing rather large and thick glasses, just slightly older than the cubs, padded up, blushing a trifle and with shy ears and tail, "—is Elwood. Chet adopted him too. Granny Chippy is actually my mom's aunt, but Chip and I took her in as a joint-grandmother."

Foxglove smirked at him a trifle and asked, "Why can't you have a normal family tree like everyone else?" causing everyone to laugh momentarily.

"Not that I mind," she quickly added, "after all, I'm part of it now!"

After Chippy hugged the new couple, Chet did the same, "Dale, Foxglove, congratulations!"

"Hey, we did our best," he replied. "And I see you're doin' a good job with those three!"

"A good job?" asked Chippy, also lowering her ears and tail for a moment. "Young 'munk, Chet would have gone crazy if I didn't help him out now and then!"

"Hey!"

Chippy continued, "And with all those new computer things Elwood's coming up with, it's a miracle we can keep up! Now, what's all this about you babysitting a gorilla?"

"Ooh! Tell us! Tell us!" exclaimed the four cubs now, ears up and with their tails in an even faster blur.

Elwood, however, stood by a bit, smiling, ears up. His facial expression communicated that he _did_ believe Dale.

Dale just looked at the cubs and replied, "Okay, but since it's a long story, I'll have to tell it to you some other time. Can you promise me you will come and visit us later so I can tell it to you, _and_ tell you many other stories?"

_"Yes!"_ they all chattered.

Foxglove smiled once again, and asked the cubs, "So, are you two learning computers?"

"Yeah!" replied Sue. "I even beat Sam in 3-D pinball last night!"

Ears were lowered and tails stiffened.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did—!"

The young mouse padded up and covered both of their mouths.

"She did, but only by 50 points. These two are picking up everything I know! Cousin Dale, Cousin Foxglove, congratulations, and thanks once again for the rescue."

"Thank _you_ for letting us rescue you," said Gadget.

The rodents then proceeded to hug the new family member.

They then came to Phinehas again, who hugged the new couple.

His ears were up and his tail quivered, but just a trifle slower than the younger ones.

"Thanks, Phinehas, for everythin', and for not losing hope, either," said Dale.

"Well, young 'munk, I just knew that things weren't over just yet. And now I know that they won't be for a long time to come. Foxy, welcome to the world of rodents."

The bat lady giggled a bit and replied, "Thanks, Phinehas, and thanks so much for the ceremony. If you ever need anything, you know where we are."

The elder rodent smiled. "Well, when one gets to be my age, he doesn't need much, save for some good food, a soft bed, and young ones to hear tales of old. Can you help with any of that?"

Both lowered their ears and tails and blushed, and Dale replied, "We can help you with the first two, but for the last one, well, we'll all have to be patient, right dear?"

Foxglove cuddled him as she thought of the future. "It will be wonderful, Cute Stuff, it will be just wonderful."

* * *

Now it was the turn of Foxglove's adopted family, who also had their ears up and tails twitching.

Richard and Rosie wrapped their wings around her and Dale.

"Congratulations, Daughter, you were stunning!" Richard said.

Foxglove nearly wept, "Thanks, Mom and Dad!"

Rosie added, "And thanks for taking us in. Aurora was the only family we had, but now, we have cousins and uncles and nieces and nephews!"

"Me too!" sniffed Foxglove.

Rosie continued, "Aurora would have just loved you. But even with all that happened, we know that she would not have minded this, not at all. Foxy, we've never felt happier. Foxy, Dale, welcome to the colony, and to the world of chiropterids!"

They hugged again, and now Feyyanna came up to hug her sister.

"Yew medd meye a biyit jellus thur, Sesstur."

"Jealous? Why?"

Feyyanna lowered her ears and tail and sighed, "Weyell, yew hayav thu luvv uff yer laff. Yew kneww whayat yew wunttidd, an' yew snicht iyit!"

Foxglove echosounded at her kindly and replied, also with low ears and tail, "I know your time will come too, Sis. Someone will snatch you up as I first did with Dale. He will look into your eyes, echosound at you all over, you will echosound at him back, and you will never want to hear another sound again other than his profile. It will happen, it really will."

Feyyanna wiped a tear.

"Oh, gosh, Sess, thayanks!"

They embraced tightly again.

"And yew tew, Brudder!"

She hugged Dale now, who then replied, "Thank _you_, Feyyanna, for taking care of her. Thank you, Sister."

Ears and tails were raised again.

Foxglove then came to Otis, and he told her, "You'll always be my sister."

She just kept radiating joy, "And you my brother. But don't lose hope, Otis. Like Feyyanna, I feel that one day soon you will meet someone who'll let you fall in love with her."

Otis turned to Clarice, who was standing next to him.

"Um, I think I already have," and he blushed a trifle, as did Clarice, lowering their ears and tails once more.

Dale stood back a trifle, looking at them suspiciously. "What? _You_ two—?"

Clarice replied, "Well, I figured: if _you two_ could do it, why can't we?"

"Well, that's interesting," said Foxglove. "I take it you won't be returning to Las Vegas soon?"

The chipmunkmaid looked at the young bat beside her, smiled, and replied, "Hmmmm, no. I seem to be having good luck here in The Big Apple, with all those nightclubs calling me up, not to mention all the…great audiences I seem to be having lately."

She looked lovingly at the male bat beside her, and then leaned over and kissed him lightly, with very happy ears and tail.

"Viva Las Vegas—_I mean_—!—and since we both, well, _work_ at night, I think we'll be able to manage this," he stumbled, smiling at her, also moving his tail, and wrapping his right wing around the chipmunkmaid.

She suddenly turned to him, stiffened her ears and tail, and chattered angrily, "Whatdoyoumean'think'? I thought you said we had it made with both of us being nocturnal! What'sthedealhere? Are you having doubts all of the sudden? Why is it that every time I turn around I get ugly surprises from you and wipe that smile off your face! I'm being totally serious here and if you don't take that smile off your face I'm going to smack it off—!"

_"CAN IT!"_

Otis was rescued from her chattering by none other than Canina LeFur.

Clarice jumped at her bark and immediately hushed.

"I had the feeling you were going to rough someone up tonight, like you always did in Vegas!"

"Awlwayess?" asked Feyyanna.

The dog lady replied, "It's a long story. Otis honey, keep your guard up with her. And never, _ever_, get on her nerves!"

"Oh, why did I have to invite _you_ to this wedding?" chattered Clarice, looking up at her.

"Because we're great friends who go back from your break in Atlantic City and you know that the Rescue Rangers helped me out _twice_ and even saved my life, right, Montecarlos?"

Monterey grumbled again.

"And we've both helped each other with our agents and we've seen each other's performances and we love each other like good sisters and so you know that you wouldn't want me to miss this for the world and—"

_"All right! You win!"_

"You're friends with Canina?" asked Foxglove.

"Yup. She was the one who inspired me to work in show biz in the first place! I've really, _really_ admired her for years and years and years and—"

"Aw, thanks," said Canina, blushing a trifle, and with her ears and tail behaving accordingly.

"—years and years and years and—"

"Thank you, Clarice, it's okay."

"—years and years and years and—"

"We get the point."

"—years and years and years and mmmmmmmmmmmfffffffffff!"

Canina laid down and shoved the poofy tip of her tail in Clarice's mouth as she turned and told the couple, "Well, Dale, I'm really happy for you and Foxglove. My best wishes for both of you, and if you ever need money, just ask."

"Thanks, Canina," they both said.

Meanwhile, Clarice removed the tail from her mouth, and when she did, Dale asked her, chuckling, "So, Clarice, I take it that you will be all right now?"

After spitting out some dog hairs, she regained her composure, raised her ears and tail again, and replied, "Ptooey…ahem! Yes. After we're finished here, Otis here is going to give me a night on the town, right, Honey?"

"Yup. You're going to hear—er—_see_ this city like you've never heard—er—_seen_ it before, from a _bat's_ point of hearing—er—_view_."

Foxglove snickered and said, "Well, Clarice, it looks like you found yourself someone great after all!"

"That goes double for you, Foxy. Congratulations."

Both bats and chipmunks hugged each other—

"And Foxy, try to get him to visit his parents more often, will ya?" asked Dalee.

"Hey, don't forget, you're _my_ parents too now!" she replied.

"And what are we? Gnat wings?" asked Richard, jokingly.

Foxglove echosounded at the two elderly couples, and all the elder bats she met in Boston, and all the elder chipmunks.

Just last year, she was a rootless orphan. Now, she had a husband (Dale), one "big sister" (Gadget), one "little sister" (Feyyanna), two "big brothers" (Chip and Otis), one "little brother" (Zipper), five "uncles" (Monterey, Marcus, Dusk, Curtis, and James), four "aunts" (Janice, Dawn, Grace, and Chattie), by default, one "grandfather" (Cheddarhead); two "grandmothers" (Camembert and Chippy); one "nephew" (Zip); one "niece" (Zap), three "cousins" (Sam, Sue, and Elwood); _two_ "mothers" (Rosie and Dalee), and _two_ "fathers" (Richard and Pierre)!

And all the love that was emanating from her new family, as well as herself, made her feel like squealing for joy, almost.

She padded to her bat parents and said, "Dad, Mom, it's all right. You can come visit anytime you want, and we'll do what we can to visit you."

Then, she turned to her chipmunk parents and added, "Mom, Dad, I know Dale's been a naughty boy for not even trying to go and visit you." She then tweaked Dale's ear a bit, causing him to wince and giggle simultaneously, but his tail was a blur again.

"Shame on you!" she chided, but with her sinister tone once again. "I'll carry him all the way to your tree if I need to, but we know I won't have to take such desperate measures, will I, Cute Stuff?"

Her husband smiled sheepishly again and replied, "I hope not. But you _know_ how gruelling our schedule is, Foxy. And don't worry, Mom, I'll try to visit at least once a month. _And_ I'll drag Chip along as well, right, Chip? When was the last time _you_ went back upstate?"

Ears and tail were lowered.

"Hey, we were talking about _you_, not _me_."

"Go ahead and drag him along," said Chap. "You have our permission to drag that workaholic back to his roots whenever you feel necessary."

_"DAD!"_

Foxglove laughed and then gave each member of her new family a big hug…

* * *

"Congratulations, you two," said Tammy, hugging them, her ears straight and her tail twitching all over.

"Thanks, Tammy. And thanks for all you've done for us as well," replied Dale.

"And for all you've done for _her_," added Mrs. Hazelnut, also with a jerky tail. "Thanks for letting all of us be a part of this."

"Hey, can you throw your wreath, or bouquet, or whatever you're going to throw, in my direction?" asked the hormonal teenager.

"Oo, _Tammy's in love, Tammy's in love_," sang Bink.

"And so's Chip. _And_ Gadget," added Dale, a trifle seriously. "Tammy, you _do_ know that."

To which, she crossed her arms, lowered her ears, raised her tail above her head, and replied defiantly, "Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?"

Dale and Foxglove didn't know if she meant to say that with double meaning, but they blushed anyway, with the corresponding ear and tail action.

_ "Tammy's in love, Tammy's in love—"_

"Well, _I_ am and _you're_ not!" she interrupted.

Bink was unfazed. She turned to Dale and asked with nervous ears and tail, "Mister Dale can I marry you when I grow up?"

The tamias looked at his wife, then back at the young sciurus, and replied, "Why would you want to do that, Bink?"

Her ears perked up, "Because you sing nice and you dance nice and you are very funny Mister Dale and you can teach me how to dance and sing and be all funny!"

All present chuckled a bit.

Dale picked her up and replied, "Well, I don't know if Foxy will let me."

Bink then gave Foxglove the ultimate puppy-face, lowered her ears, held her tail still, and begged, "Oh _pleeze pleeeze pleeeze pleeeze pleeze_—"

Foxglove put a wingtip on the kit's lips, smiled, and replied, "Well, I don't know if you need to marry Dale for that, Bink. You're already very funny!"

"And if you come visit us, I can teach you how to dance and sing _now_! You don't have to wait to grow up to learn!"

"Oh THANK YOU Mister Dale!"

Bink then gave Dale a _big_ hug and exclaimed, ears up and tail in a frenzy again, "Mommy, Tammy! Mister Dale's going to teach me how to sing and dance and be more funny!"

She was practically bouncing on Dale, so he put her down and she continued bouncing in front of her mother and sister.

Meanwhile, Foxglove echosounded tenderly at her husband, "You're going to be a wonderful father, Dale."

The chipmunk smiled a trifle nervously, lowered his ears and tail, and replied, "I…I sure hope so. It's goin' to be _very_ tough for me…I just…hope I do it rig—"

Foxglove suddenly hugged him and whispered, "You will, Cute Stuff. You will."

* * *

They then came to a certain peach furred and black headfurred mousemaid.

"Melody, I'm glad you could make it this time," said Dale.

"So am I," she replied, ears and tail down. "I'm so sorry I missed your last invitation, but I was in Paris—"

"Don't apologise," interrupted Foxglove. "It's not as if you actually _missed_ us the first time."

The mousemaid smiled, "Well, I'm still sorry for what happened to you. And thanks for letting me be part of all this. It really is wonderful to see you two get together this way."

"Thanks, Melody."

The mousemaid then turned to—

"And thank _you_, Gadget, for doing the impossible to find me!"

Gadget lowered her ears and tail again and blushed, "Well, you're welcome, but I _do_ want to tell you how sorry I am for losing track of you—"

Melody hugged her before she began another rant, "Don't be, it's my fault, too. I'll send telegrams and carrier pigeons until we both can get some e-mail. Then we'll talk over and over and be great friends again, like the old days. And _man_ do we have a lot to catch up on! I see you've finally found someone!"

The Mechanic smiled, and her tail twitched, "Yes. We're just starting, but I have the feeling it will be great and everything."

The Car Racer stood back a moment and exclaimed, "Ho boy. I'm going to reschedule all my races until I get the entire gist! Um, can I stay here for the night?"

"You already asked us that, and yes you can," replied Gadget.

Melody made a confused take, smiled, raised her ears again, and just hugged the married couple and all her old friends…

* * *

"Hey, Dale, do you like your new rubber gloves?" asked Sparky, with expectant ears and tail.

Dale fidgeted for a bit until he finally had the orange gloves on his paws.

Once that was done, he looked at the mouse, and was finally able to shake paws with him without getting shocked.

"A perfect fit, Sparky!" he said. "Thanks!"

"And do you like your rubber wing covers, Foxglove?" asked Buzz, also with expectant features.

Gadget was placing the orange devices on Foxglove's wings. While a bit tacky, they did come in handy when greeting those two.

"I came up with the concept myself, I think."

The lab rat added, "Yeah, and it's great to finally attend a wedding when we missed the last one—uh, Dale, who got married last time?"

Dale looked at his wife for a moment, and smiled again, "Sparky, Buzz, you can _honestly_ forget _that_ weddin'. Just do us a favour and try not to forget _this_ one, okay?"

"Well, to be honest with you, Dale: as easily as we forget things, you two gave a show we'll have a _very_ hard time forgetting. And thanks for the ride, too."

"They'd have forgotten where they were going if it wasn't for us!" whispered Chip.

Foxglove, of course, heard him, but she said nothing.

With her new rubber wing covers, she hugged both lab rodents, and said, "You're welcome. And thanks for all your help. Thanks for helping me give peace to my new friends."

The rat lowered his ears and tail, scratched his head, generating a few sparks, and asked, "Uh, _we_ did that?"

* * *

Queenie was just a trifle apprehensive in greeting a predator, even if that predator just happened to be the new wife of a good friend of hers.

Still, she and her hive couldn't help but feel that way; after all, there _were_ plenty of bats in the crowd.

The chiropterids, naturally, had already known about that, and they, of course, had agreed to suppress their instincts for tonight.

Also, Zipper's insistence (and the promise that he would wear a tuxedo), helped convince the queen bee.

"Dale, Foxglove, I offer my sincerest congratulations for your marriage. May you always have the best nectar, may you never encounter wasps, and may you never go to Africa."

The couple wasn't too sure what that blessing exactly meant (and the Rangers had already been to Africa once), but they smiled anyways.

"Um, thanks, Your Majesty," replied Dale. "And thank you so much for comin'."

"And for the security," added his wife. "You and your hive gave us all of a _big_ peace of mind. Your Majesty, thanks for placing aside old enmities and for being a part of this. You have a wonderful heart."

"That she does," buzzed Zipper, blushing slightly.

The monarch turned to him and replied, "And Zipper, thanks for giving me a personal invitation. I _really_ enjoyed the ceremony. It sort of reminded me of my own responsibility to the hive, and—" The bombus hesitated for a moment, but quickly recovered and continued. "—and of some…personal situations I need to attend to. Being a queen is hard work, and it doesn't leave much time for your own needs. However, with all that I saw tonight, I can honestly say that you two have convinced me to do something about what is rightfully mine…or at least, of what is my right to attempt to do."

The couple didn't fully understand what her formal speech was trying to convey, but from the way Zipper was blushing they kind of got the idea.

"Also, my hive presents to you this litre of honey."

Several hundred bees buzzed in, carrying a plastic jar filled with the golden liquid.

"Considering that sweet tooth you have, Dale, it should last you for the night."

The couple and the insects laughed at the unsuspected joke.

"Hey, even royalty can be funny," she stated, very dignified.

"And also, we would like to present to you this:"

More worker bees flew in, carrying something rather large that was covered with a blue cloth.

The bees set the gift on the ground, and as they flew off, they removed the cloth. It was—

_"Zowie!"_

Zowie indeed: It was a very large wax figure of the chipmunk and the bat lady, holding paws and wings, looking/echosounding toward the future.

Below them was a smaller image of Mount Rushmore, but instead of the presidents' heads, it had all the Rangers, Chip, Gadget, Dale, Foxglove, Monterey, and Zipper.

Foxglove turned to Queenie, lowered her ears and tail, and exclaimed, "Oh, Your Majesty, this is amazing! No one has _ever_ done anything like this to us before, much less to _me_! _Thank you_!"

Forgetting protocol and instincts for a moment, the bat lady and the queen bee embraced.

And the queen bee wept…

As did Zipper…

But they were _good_ tears…

"Wowie, you two as well?" asked Dale.

* * *

The nightingale and the swallowmaid were standing _very_ close together.

"And we have you two to thank for the inspiration," said Midge.

"Hey, Chirp, when will you be heading back to the Emperor?" asked Foxglove.

The nightingale looked at the swallowmaid, puffed his chest feathers out for a moment, and then replied, "Um, I do not knohh. I kind of thought I would stay heah foh a few moah days. Dehh ah many beautiful things to see heah."

Midge giggled.

Then, Chirp turned to the couple and said, "Friend Dale, marrying a bat is a sign of good fortune ahead. Congratulations on youah marriage. Friend Foxglove, marrying a chipmunk is a sign of a good and long life. Congratulations to you, too."

Dale replied, "Thanks, Chirp, and thanks for all your help here. We hope that you and Midge be happy as well."

"We hope so, too," replied Midge.

With that, the avian couple hopped off, wing in wing.

Foxglove commented, "You know, Darling, this romance thing seems to be turning into an epidemic."

Looking at the birds, and then at how Zipper and Queenie were looking at each other, Dale asked, "Is that good or bad?"

Foxglove thought for a moment, heard Zipper give Queenie a soft kiss, and replied with low ears and tail, "I hope it all turns out for good. Love is wonderful, but it must be handled with care. We set all of those others off on a long and difficult journey. I hope that they don't face even _half_ of the pain _we_ went through."

Dale also lowered his ears and tail and sighed as he saw Otis put his wing around Clarice, "I would _hate_ to be the cause of their pain, _again_, especially because they found inspiration in us. But, they all seem to know what they're doin', don't you think?"

Foxglove heard Monterey speaking with Mrs. Hazelnut, and he was looking at her rather tender-like. "Yes. They know perfectly well. And if they're happy for us, we should be happy for them as well."

Ears rose again and tails quivered. Dale put one arm around her, "Well, Foxy, _I'm_ certainly one happy chipmunk tonight."

With that, he gave his wife a soft kiss on the cheek.

This reception needed to end _now_…

* * *

The homeless mouse was barely recognisable. His ears were up, his headfur was neatly brushed back, his tattered top hat had been replaced with a new one, and his rented tuxedo made him sparkle, almost.

"Whoa, Mouseo, you are _stunning_!" exclaimed Dale.

The mouse pulled out his bulb horn and honked it, nodding his head.

Foxglove winced for a moment at the sound, but kept smiling anyway.

Mouseo noticed that, so he immediately put the horn away, lowered his ears and tail, and began speaking in sign language, slowly. Since that was a language Foxglove had yet to learn, Dale translated for her, "'Sorry—Foxglove—I—keep—forgettin'—that—your—ears—are—very—sensitive—unlike—mine—and—I—keep—forgettin'—to use—sign language—and not—pantomime—congratulations—to you—both'."

The pipistrell stood in front of the mus and spoke as clearly as she could, "Thanks, Mouseo, and it's okay. I know that we both live in two completely different worlds, but I also know that you're now learning new stuff. I know how difficult _that_ can be at times. And I want you to know that I'll always consider you a friend and I'll help you in any way I can."

Mouseo raised his ears and tail and smiled. "'Thanks—Foxy—the—others—have—already—helped—me—a lot—especially—Gadget—she's—really—grillin'—me—every—day—with—this'."

"And the fact that you already read lips very well is an achievement by itself, so I know that you'll soon have this mastered," added the mousemaid. "And thanks for coming, Mouseo."

"'More—like—thanks—for—draggin'—me—here—but—now—I—know—that—I—wouldn't—have—missed—this—for—the—world—not—with—all—the—great—food'."

All present laughed.

"'And—thanks—for—helpin'—me—find—that—speech—therapy—centre—I—know—that—soon—I'll—be—able—to speak—though—I—won't—be able—to hear—myself—Dale—Chip—I—know—Foxy—and—Gadget—are—now—spoken—for—but—'"

The mouse hesitated before continuing.

Then, he lowered his ears and tail and gestured toward the females, asking for permission.

The males looked at the females, and everyone said, "Sure!"

With that, Mouseo smothered Gadget and Foxglove with kisses, his trademark greeting for females…

* * *

"Well, Foxglove, this a great gain for you, but a big loss for the RAS. I'm going to miss you."

"Well, maybe not _that_ big, Kyle. It's not as if I'm leaving you guys forever. You know you can always come here in case you need anything."

The middle-aged brown-furred vole raised his ears and tail, smiled at the couple, and sighed, "Foxglove, you're the best interpreter we've had in a long time. Not only that, but you've also been a great friend. Dale, congratulations. You _really_ have it made with her now."

"Thanks, Kyle. And thanks for givin' her a place to rest. You helped her when she needed it most."

"Anything for a great employee. And I hope you like the gifts the RAS gave you."

"Well, we haven't opened them yet, and this little lady is _kinda_ in a hurry, but I'm sure we'll love them," said Dale.

"You'd better, dahlink! Ve helped pick them out!"

At the sound of the Hungarian accent, Foxglove turned and hugged the elderly mouse couple, the male with grey fur, and the female with white fur, again, all with happy ears and tails.

"Oh, thanks for coming, guys!" exclaimed the bat lady.

"Yeah!" added Dale. "And thanks for helping Phinehas with the ceremony, and for all the gifts. Bernard, Bianca, you're one of a kind."

"You're welcome, Dale," replied Bernard. "The same goes for you. Though I don't know if I would have been able to handle what you went through in order to get Bianca back."

"You've forgotten Australia again, dahlink?"

"Oh, yeah, right."

Bianca continued, "And I don't get it. Vat do you mean by _both_ of us beink one of a kind? If there are _two_ of us, vouldn't that make us _two_ of a kind?"

Foxglove giggled.

"Ambassadors," quipped Kyle…

* * *

"Well, Dale, it was about time," said the male chipmunk.

He had brown fur and a black nose, and was rather tall and a trifle muscular, and he _still_ wore his trademark white suit and glasses.

The female chipmunk was a trifle shorter, with brown and tan fur, blue eyes, and a maroon nose.

Dale did the introductions again, "Foxy, this is Chester, and his wife, Chi-Chi."

Foxglove greeted the chipmunk couple.

"They're old friends, and he's a former rival as well."

"Rival?" she asked, stiffening her tail and laying her ears back a trifle.

"Sure," replied Chi-Chi. "Chip, Dale, Cyril, and Chester here had their eyes on me a while back. I tell you, it was a tough decision, but I know I made the right one by choosing Chester here, right honey?"

The male perked his ears, blurred his tail, and smiled at his mate.

"Well, I don't know," replied Foxglove, echosounding at _her_ mate. "I'm sure Chester here has many fine qualities, but you've _never_ heard a sonar profile like Dale's. I won't say that you made the wrong choice, but…thanks for not choosing Dale."

Chester then spoke, "Dale, I must say that I've been wrong about you all this time. From what I saw tonight, I can see that you've helped many animals, and that a beautiful female has done the impossible to have you for a mate. I guess I'm lucky I married Chi-Chi before all of this, otherwise she would have snatched you up in an instant!"

"And I would have fought you for him," added Foxglove, smiling, but seriously nonetheless, as her ears and tail displayed.

Chi-Chi stood back, also with low ears and tail, "Wow, really?"

"Hey, she's not jokin'," replied Dale. "You didn't see her at The Nutshell Club, did you? She did everythin' she could to win me over, and she won. And I could never be happier now. And I also hope that you two are happy as well."

"We are, Dale, and thanks for remaining friends with us. Congratulations to you both."

Dale then proceeded to shake Chester's paw, but when he did, Chester's fur stood on end as a buzzer rang out.

Chester suddenly snatched his sore paw away, tail and ears stiff, and Dale showed his wife the paw buzzer, his ears up and his tail in a blur.

"That's Elwood's gift. And I always wanted to do that."

Both couples laughed, and hugged correctly this time, without the buzzer…

* * *

Another chipmunk couple padded to the newlyweds.

This time, the male was _very_ muscular, and the female had brown fur, brown eyes, and a black nose, and was wearing a white bow on her head.

"Foxy, this is Cyril and Lucy, also friends from upstate, and also a former rival."

Foxglove echosounded suspiciously at her husband, with ears and tail emphasising her mood.

"You mean you chased _her_ as well? Dale, have you been a naughty boy?"

Lucy laughed, quivering her tail. "No, Foxy. He, Cyril, and Chip always behaved themselves, even though they were a little frisky sometimes. And they, too, were tough choices. I almost chose Dale, too, but I never followed through. Still, I know you won't be disappointed with him."

Foxglove echosounded dreamily at her new husband, and replied, "You bet I won't," also with dreamy ears and tail.

Cyril then told Dale, "You have surprised me as well, Dale. I never thought you would ever find someone, and here you are, with the love of your life. Congratulations, you two. May you be happy as Lucy and I are."

"Thanks, Cyril. Say, are you still afraid of bulls?"

The other male smirked at him and lowered his ears.

"Very funny. I'll have you know that after that incident I decided to learn mechanics!"

"And he's gotten smarter, too!" added Lucy. "Not to mention a lot stronger!"

She kneaded his right biceps, as Cyril sighed and lowered his tail now, "And…and…I must say…that after that incident with the bull, I lost Chi-Chi, and I got lonely. All my money couldn't help me. So after you and Chip left to form the Rangers, I decided to make a change too. I quit being a snob and tried to help others, like you. And along the way, this little lady came along."

Cyril then hugged his wife, who cuddled him, causing both sets of ears and tails to show happiness again.

"I now help fund the RAS, and I'll also have you know that you won't have to worry about this ceremony. I talked to Canina, Chester, and Clarice, and we are all picking up the tab for the whole thing. It…it's the least I can do to make amends with you."

The new couple dropped their jaws, ears, and tails when they heard that.

"W-w-w-ow, Cyril, I-I-I…erm…thanks," stuttered Dale.

"Also, if the Rescue Rangers need additional funding, especially with Gadget's inventions, don't hesitate to call me. And congratulations."

Completely speechless, the couples hugged again…

* * *

"Wow, you're a mixed couple too?" asked Foxglove, with excited features.

"Yup," replied Clarissa. "And like you, we don't care what the neighbours say or think, right honey?"

The chipmunk lady hugged her husband tightly, a male _squirrel_.

She _also_ had brown and tan fur, a maroon nose, and blue eyes.

He had grey fur, brown eyes, and was a trifle thin.

Their features also expressed happiness and contentment.

"Exactly. So don't let anyone get to you," he replied.

"I suppose Gerry is also an old rival?" asked Foxglove, lowering her ears and tail again.

"Well, not totally. But like the others, he's a good friend now. It was just Chip and me who fought over Clarissa."

The bat lady then crossed her wings, laid her ears as far back as they could go, stiffened her tail, and tapped her foot-paw.

"Dale, before we continue, is there anyone else I should know about?"

Dale frantically waved his paws and pleaded, with lowered ears and tail, "No! No! Clarissa was the last one! I only fought Chip over them because I was lonely and jealous! But you're the only one now! The _real_ only—"

Satisfied with that, Foxglove silenced him with a deep kiss, causing yet another strong breeze with their tails, and eliciting raised eyebrows from the other couple.

"Don't worry, hon," said Clarissa. "It wasn't exactly a nice feeling. All their fights got _me_ into huge messes! But I'm glad I found _you_."

She then turned to the couple, "Dale, Foxy, we also wish you the best."

Coming up for air, Foxglove replied, "Thanks, Clarissa, we wish the same for you."

Gerry continued, this time with low ears and tail, "And I'll say this again, don't let anyone put doubts into the decision you made. You may have more problems than we did, after all, we're both rodents, and…well…you're not. There will be those who'll picket outside your house and call you nasty names and pick on you in restaurants, but they're just a very loud minority. Perhaps not here, since you already won everyone over, but…maybe…in other places…"

Gerry seemed a trifle sad and worried as he trailed off, as his ears and tail showed.

Dale looked at him quite seriously, and began growling, "'Names'?" he asked, with his facial fur darkening, and his ears and tail stiffening. "If anyone _dares_ calls Foxy a bad name, they'll have to face the wrath of…"

"RamDale?" asked Foxglove, worriedly, lowering her ears and tail and raising her wings, in an attempt to calm him down. She _really_ wouldn't mind being called na—

_"SEGOLEH!"_ he roared, while grinning insanely again, eliciting laughter from the rest again, as well as perking up ears and tails again.

"Gerry, when that happens, I'll counter hate with comedy, and _then_ we'll see who has the last laugh, mwha ha ha ha ha!"

He rubbed his paws again, ears up and tail wagging, while Foxglove shivered pleasantly at his sinister laugh.

Clarissa chuckled, "You do that, Dale. And we know you'll also protect your cubs from hatred, as we have. Ours, too, have had their share of incidents, but they're coming along great. Dale, thanks for all the good times upstate, and congratulations on your wedding. Foxglove, take care of him, he's a great friend. Congratulations."

Once more, hugs were exchanged…

* * *

The couple then went to greet Cheddarhead and Camembert.

Both large mice lowered their tails, laid their ears back, and gave them a joint bear hug.

"That was a mean dance you pulled off, mate!" exclaimed Cheddarhead.

"I'll say!" added Camembert. "Reminds me o' the time I once tried to learn a 'ail dance back in Borneo!"

"And it seems our little Monty 'as finally got 'imself into good paws as well!" Cheddarhead glanced at Monterey, who was _still_ speaking with Mrs. Hazelnut.

"And we 'ave both of ye to thank for that! Dale, Foxy, we're so 'appy we could almost marry each other again—"

Both mice then noticed that neither Dale nor Foxglove had made any comments about that.

"Pally?" asked Cheddarhead.

"!" was their joint reply.

Quickly, both mice released the couple, allowing them to breathe again. Their ears and tails had almost stopped moving there.

Both gasped their replies, "Uh—[gasp]—thanks, Cheddarhead!" wheezed Dale.

"And—[gasp]—you too, Katie!"

Both continued gasping for a little longer, and after they got their normal breathing patterns back, Cheddarhead asked them, "Dale, Foxy, we would now like to do a little ceremony of our own, to show our 'appiness for ye."

Dale looked at them, ears down, a trifle worriedly, "Uh, this wouldn't have anythin' to do with _huggin'_, would it?"

"Naw, ye won't 'ave to do anythin' but relax and 'old on to each other. We'll do all the work."

Dale and Foxglove looked/echosounded at each other, shrugged, held each other, and said, "Well, okay. What is it?"

Before either of them knew what was happening, the two mice picked up the couple, held them between them, and with a considerable effort (due to Dale's heavier muscles), threw both of them up in the air, catching them, of course, as they came down.

Foxglove squealed, more out of surprise than out of fright, since Dale was holding her tightly and she couldn't instinctively spread her wings when she felt herself coming down.

Dale, of course, just laughed at the whole thing, as did all the guests.

Cheddarhead and Camembert did that several times, eliciting cheers and happy tails and ears from everyone each time Dale and Foxglove were thrown.

Everyone was happy, thanks to the Peacemakers, who had now brought peace to a broken couple…

* * *

And so, the reception continued.

As the couple recovered from the rough housing and went on greeting the remainder of their guests, a certain ultrasonic noise caused Foxglove to perk up her ears.

She and Dale stopped for a moment, and then she turned and echosounded at the darkness beyond the reception area.

Just barely visible, but quite audible, two humans, a male and a female, were standing nearby.

They had stood there throughout the ceremony, witnessing for the first time what no human had ever seen before.

The male had what appeared to be a microphone, and he was pointing it at Foxglove.

Both he and the female had headphones, and between the microphone and headphones was Gadget's Translator, which had been lent to them for tonight.

No recording device was attached to it, however.

And the translator would be discreetly placed back next to the tree once this whole thing was over.

This night was for _them_ only, and no one else, especially no government agency.

And the fun in keeping secrets, especially such a great one like this, was the simple fact that they both knew something that the rest of the world didn't.

Well, the human world, at least.

Both waved at the couple.

The couple waved back.

"Thank you, Fox and Dana," said Foxglove, with happy ears and tail.

* * *

And _finally_, it came time for the couple to leave on their well-earned honeymoon.

Monterey and Zipper flew the re-built and luggage-loaded Ranger Wing from the hangar and had it hover above the crowd, who politely parted and allowed it to land.

The two jumped off, but didn't turn off the motors.

Ears up and tails in a blur, Dale picked up his wife, jumped onto the wing, and gently placed her on her seat.

He then sat down, revved up the motors, and the aircraft slowly ascended.

After it had reached a height of about two metres, it suddenly hovered.

Foxglove stood, removed her veil and wreath/bouquet, closed her eyes, hushed her sonar, and threw the item away.

It moved erratically, at first, due to the turbulence caused by the propellers.

And it descended…

Slowly…

The crowd hushed and tensed, calculating the landing spot, moving in semi-synchrony with the wreath…

A sudden breeze suddenly gripped the wreath and brought it down right on…

_Zipper!_

All laughed, and he naturally blushed at that, but even more so did Queenie…

The Ranger Wing then began to move, and the crowd shouted their farewells to the couple.

"Have fun, guys!" chattered Chip. "And don't get into trouble!"

And yet, he, and all the Rangers as well, were crying, with sad ears and tails to match.

The Ranger Wing ascended, flew off into the night, and disappeared from sight and sound.

Chip sighed.

"You 'aven't lost 'im, mate," said Monterey, patting Chip's shoulder. "'E'll always be yore friend."

Chip wiped a tear, and replied, "I…I…know. It's just that he's already gone so far into what I've only _dreamed_ about, and after the way I—_we_—treated him like a clown for so long, well…I'm happy for him, yes, and I know that nothing will ever be the same between us…it's just that…well…he…um…'grew up', I guess. Maybe that's why I'm burning, not for him, but for myself. All the stuff that he and Foxy went through, and now _I'm_ facing it…well—"

Chip controlled himself before he burst into tears.

"We'd better clean this place up before the park attendants arrive—"

Gadget suddenly hugged him and kissed his furry lips.

Though his ears laid back and his tail quivered, as did hers, he was a trifle confused at that sudden gesture, so she explained, "Thanks, Chip, for caring so much for him. Now, are we still on for that date Friday night?"

Chip raised his ears and smiled, "Only if we don't have any cases—and I'm sure you'll take care of that—so then, you bet, Gadget."

Chip then kissed his new love, and both looked up toward infinity, toward what seemed like an unreachable goal.

But if Dale and Foxglove had made it, with wind and tide against them, then maybe, just maybe, they would be able to reach it too.

"Gadget, what about Zipper and Monty now?" he asked.

The mousemaid turned and saw Zipper next to Queenie and Monterey next to Mrs. Hazelnut.

"They seem to be in good paws, don't you think?"

Chip looked at his teammates, sighed, smiled, and looked into her eyes.

"I love you. And I can only hope to love you as much as Dale loves Foxglove. And…forgive me for rejecting you. I—"

"_I_ love you," she interrupted, touching his lips with her index digit, which still smelled a bit of machine oil, causing his tail to twitch faster. "I thought I would never love again, not after all that happened to me, and after all the wrong things I did to you and Dale, but you proved me wrong, Chip. I found true love in you. Don't be sorry for your rejection. I know you did it because you _truly_ loved me. This will work out, Chip. For us, _and_ for the others as well. Even though I can't calculate it or analyse it, I…I have the feeling that it will work out…I love you…"

And the new couple kissed again, forgetting for a moment the crowd, their friends, and their family, and the other couple that had gone off into the night…


	37. EPILOGOS — A NEW BEGINNING

**EPILOGOS — A NEW BEGINNING**

Dale's tail quivered as he gripped his hang glider tightly, ran a few quick steps, and jumped off the runway branch.

It was a beautiful sunny day, not too windy, and perfect for hang gliding.

He soared above the park, and then he was above the city.

It seemed perfect to just glide in the wind, between the ground and the sky, with no worries, no flight plan, no actual destiny, and just relax and enjoy the view.

He was so relaxed that he seemed to hear music forming in his head.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=eMoMBFhMdDw )

He then moved off the city, and headed toward the sea.

As he did, it seemed as if a man was singing,

_"Now I've…had the time of my life…"_ He approached Liberty Island, and in moments he was above the Statue Of Liberty.

_ "No, I never felt like this before."_ Suddenly, something interrupted his relaxation.

_"Yes, I swear…it's the truth…"_ A shadow covered him.

_ "And I owe it all to you—" _He lowered his ears, stiffened his tail, and looked up. A female sang now,

_"'Cause I've…had the time of my life…"_ It was Foxglove! She was flying above him—

_"And I owe it all to youuuu—"_ And…oh boy, she had that _look_ on her face, not to mention her ears were up and her tail was swishing…

The music sped up a bit.

Dale accelerated, but Foxglove stayed right behind him. He didn't know why, but he actually felt scared. He knew what she wanted, but the way she was being so forward about it made him feel _very_ uneasy.

What's more, he swore he could almost feel her sonar all over his backside.

He was then suddenly over Niagara Falls.

The Male: _"I've been waiting for so long,_

_ Now I've finally found someone to stand by me."_ He looked back for a moment, and she was still following.

The Female: "_We saw the writing on the wall_

_ As we felt this magical fantasy!"_ What's more, she climbed a bit, and then dove right at him, pulling her wings in and spinning like a missile.

Both: _"Now with passion in our eyes,_

_ There's no way we could disguise it—"_ She suddenly levelled off, and flew right beside him, GAZING into his eyes.

The Male: _"Secretly…" Oh, dear._

Both: _"So we take each other's hand,_

_ 'Cause we seem to understand—the urgencyyyy!" Definitely_ scared, as his ears and tail showed, Dale zoomed off, heading for Chicago.

The Male: _"Just remember!"_ Once there, he looked back, and seemed to have lost her. So, he relaxed his ears and tail, and resumed his sightseeing. He spun up the Sears Tower.

The Female: _"You're the one thing—"_ And she was waiting for him at the top!

The Male: _"I can't get enough of!"_ He zoomed off again, but he didn't seem to be that scared of her now.

The Female: _"So I'll tell you something:"_ She now flew under him, upside down, her sonar resonating wildly within his chest.

Both: _"This could be love!" _Dale zoomed off again, headed south.

But he wasn't scared anymore.

In fact, his tail was quivering, and his ears were straight.

_"Because—_

_ I've had…the time of my life!"_ He tried to lose her in a cloud, but clouds were no match for sonar.

_ "No, I never felt this way before!"_ They arrived at St. Louis, spun all around The Arch, and now zoomed westward.

_"Yes, I swear…it's the truth!"_ As fast as he was flying (and not knowing how his glider was generating its own thrust), he just could not fly any faster than her.

_ "And I owe it all to youuuu…!"_ In fact, she caught up with him again: She flew under him, upside down again, _really_ close, and softly caressed his cheeks with her wingtips.

Dale nearly swooned and his tail blurred while his ears fell back, but a bright sparkle jolted him conscious again.

On Foxglove's left wing, in her thumb claw, she was wearing a gold ring.

Suddenly glancing at his own left paw, he noticed _his_ ring as well.

The Male: _"Hey, baby!"_

He forgot that they were both married!

_ So why the heck was he fleeing from her? It was all perfectly legal now!_

Foxglove seemed to sense his reckoning, from the way he began looking at _her_, ears up now, and wagging his tail.

The Female: _"With my body and soul_

_ I want you more than you'll ever know."_ And now, _he_ was chasing _her_, headed for San Francisco.

The Male: _"So we'll—just let it go,_

_ Don't be afraid—to lose control…!…no…"_ They arrived, and flew under the Golden Gate Bridge, accelerating even more as they moved over the Pacific Ocean.

The Female: _"Yes, I know what's on your mind_

_ When you say, 'Stay with me tonight'!"_ It almost seemed as if they had reached supersonic speeds as they headed for Hawaii.

The Male: _"Stay with me!"_ And as he flew behind her, he finally realised why _she_ liked to fly behind _him_.

The Male: _"And remember!"_ But they didn't stop at Hawaii.

_"You're the one thing—"_ Flying faster than any bat or chipmunk had flown before, they moved on toward Japan.

The Female: _"I can't get enough of!"_ She began teasing him, allowing him to just barely reach her, and then suddenly accelerating away from him. Finally, they arrived in Tokyo.

The Male: _"So I'll tell you something:"_ There, they saw/heard Godzilla, who was, as usual, eating the city, _again_. They slowed down, flew in front of her, and waved.

Both: _"This could be love!"_ She stopped eating a building for a moment, smiled, waved back, and resumed her rampage as those two flew off.

Suddenly, Godzilla did a double take at them, and blushed, for some reason…

_"Because—_

_ I've—"_ Foxglove suddenly reached light-speed and warped up into outer space.

The Female: _"I've—!—had…"_ Dale was unfazed. From out of nowhere, ion engines extended from the glider's wings, ignited, and he warped off after her.

Both: _"—had…the time of my life!"_ He was soon right behind her, and they zoomed past Mars.

_ No, I never felt this way before…!"_ They dodged a thousand asteroids a moment later, like Han Solo did in the _Millennium Falcon_.

_"Yes, I swear—"_ Only this time, being the pursuer, he didn't bump into anything.

The Male: _"I swear!"_ They left the Asteroid Belt, and headed for Jupiter.

Both: _"It's the truth!_

_ And I owe it all to you!"_ The zoomed all around the Jovian moons, and even through the ring around the planet.

_"'Cause I've…had…the time of my life!"_ And they almost bumped into the spacecraft _Galileo_.

_ "And I searched through every open door—" _They stopped for a moment.

The Female_: "Never felt this way!"_ They looked/echosounded at each other for a moment, smiled…

Both: _"Till I found…the truth!"_ …moved in front of the probe's camera, and made the wildest faces at it.

_ "And I owe it all to you!"_ They very likely gave an astronomer a heart attack back on Earth.

They left the spacecraft alone, giggling, and resumed their pursuit.

And it seemed that someone was playing a saxophone at this point.

Foxglove glanced back a moment, and gave him yet another sinister GAZE.

_ Ho boy._

They headed toward the volcanic moon, Io, and Dale was now right behind her.

Suddenly Foxglove dipped, pulled her wings in, and dove straight into a volcano, splashing black sulphur all over the area.

Dale, still unfazed, dove in right after her, causing a bigger splash.

From the outside, Io appeared to have just swallowed two mammals.

But then, its volcanic activity began increasing. All its volcanoes began spewing black sulphur from within the planet, and then even more and more sulphur, and then the sulphur began erupting in black _heart shapes_, and then _red_ heart shapes, which now shot off into space at great speed, and the eruptions increased even further, making the moon vibrate uncontrollably, and that sight would confound astronomers for _centuries_, and just when it seemed that Io was going to shatter—

Dale and Foxglove shot off from another volcano on the opposite side—

The music slowed down again, to a romantic pace.

The Male: _"Now, I've…"_

The Female: _"I've…"_

The Male: _"…had…the time of my life…"_ They were now side-by-side in the glider; Dale on the left, Foxglove on the right.

The Female: _"Oo—"_ They were holding each other with one wing/paw, and the other wing/paw was on the glider's control bar, and they were looking at each other with more tenderness than ever before.

The Male: _"…no, I never felt this way before—"_ It was a glider built for _two_, all of the sudden…

The Female: _"Never felt this way!"_ They were both sweating, and seemed to be _very_ exhausted, for some reason, as their tails barely twitched, and their ears were laid back, but they still looked _very_ happy.

The Male: _"Yes, I swear…_

_ It's the truth …"_ They now headed back.

_ "And I owe it all to you!"_ The music sped up again.

Both: _"I've—"_

The Female: _"—IIIIIII'VE—had…!"_

Both: _"—had…the time of my life!"_ They zigzagged through the asteroid belt _a la_ Han Solo, again, enjoying that very much.

_ "No, I never felt this way before—!"_ They left the Asteroid Belt, and headed for Mars.

The Female: _"Never felt this way!"_

Both: _"Yes, I swear…it's the truth!"_ There, they stopped to admire the red planet, then they looked/echosounded at each other, and kissed deeply.

The Male: _"It's the truth, yeah!"_ They now flew back to Earth. On the way, they saw Ditz's spaceship.

Both: _"And I owe it all to you!"_ So, they moved in front of it, and waved hello.

The Female: _"And I—oo—!"_ Ditz and his companions, of course, waved back, but just as soon as the couple flew off, they did a double take at them, lost sight of where they were going, and smashed the ship into Deimos, one of Mars' moons. They weren't hurt, just very, _very_, ticked off at their own clumsiness. They just sat in the bridge, pseudopodia in their chins, fuming at themselves.

Both: _"'Cause I've—!"_ Now Dale and Foxglove approached the Moon.

The Male: _"I'VE HAD—!"_

Both: _"—had—"_ The sight/sound of the Moon was so romantic and breathtaking that they paused for another space kiss, their tails wagging again.

The Female: _"—Had the time—!"_

Both: _"The time of my life!"_ They were _very_ happy.

The Male: _"I've had the time of my life!"_

Both: _"And I searched through every open door."_ Thusly, they flew back to Earth, and lost themselves in the great blue planet.

The Female: _"—Never felt this way—!"_

The Male: _"You're good to me, baby!"_

The Female: _"Oo-hoo—!"_

"¿_Señor_ Okkmont?"

The music faded out.

Both: _"Till I found…"_

The Male: _"You're good to me, baby!"_

"¿_Señor_ Okkmont?"

Both: _"The truth!"_

The Male: _"And I! And I—!"_

Both: _"And I owe it all to you…!"_

"¿_Señor_ Okkmont?"

Both: _"'Cause I've—!"_

The Female: _"Oo—!"_

"¿_Señor_ Okkmont?"

Slowly, reality faded in.

Dale and Foxglove, ears laid back, were _still_ looking and echosounding at each other and wagging their tails the same way they were doing so in the glider, but he was carrying her in his arms now.

They weren't in outer space, or in a hang glider, but indoors, in the hall of a small-mammal hotel, to be exact.

They were standing right next to the entrance of their suite—

"¿_Señor_ Okkmont?"

Finally, they "awakened", perking up their ears and quieting their tails.

Beside them was a young male black-furred ring-tailed coatimundi, a bellhop, apparently wondering if something was wrong.

They suddenly glanced at him, with slight confusion.

_"¿Se encuentra bien?"_

Dale shook slightly for a moment, and then he looked at his wife.

It also took Foxglove a minute to come back to Earth, and then she stuttered, "Um, he wants to know if we—er—if you're all right."

Dale shook slightly again, and just nodded at the procyonid.

Someone must have had the music on too loud just now.

Satisfied, the bellhop gestured toward the suite, where he had placed their luggage a few moments ago.

_"Disfruten,"_ he quipped, and he padded off.

Dale looked at Foxglove again, who simply blushed, "He…he said…'enjoy'…tee hee!"

Dale chuckled too, and finally, he carried his wife over the threshold, and shut the door.

The "Do not disturb/No molestar/Ne pas deranger" sign swung slightly on the doorknob.

Inside, Dale put her down at last.

Both of them could _not_ believe how long they had held off, even with all the personal strength they had gained recently.

The flight to Cancún seemed to take forever, and yet it seemed like a blur. Attaching the Ranger Wing upside-down to the 747 was a good idea, for it made Foxglove comfortable, and it gave him even _more_ "practice", as well as some pre-nuptial rest, considering the _long_ reception that they were in earlier.

But all through the trip, they just looked/echosounded at each other, unable to do anything else.

Still, that did _not_ explain what had happened to them just now.

How on _earth_ could they both have had what seemed to be a joint-hallucination?

And what's more, how could the song say that they've just "_had_ the time of their lives" if they had barely gone inside?

No matter. They had more important things to take care of at the moment, and unpacking was certainly _not_ one of them.

Dale removed his shirt.

He wouldn't be needing it for a while now.

After all, even in the early evening, Mexican summers were extremely _hot_…

Foxglove echosounded at every single square millimetre of his pumped up self, causing her tail to quiver.

Nothing like _that_ ever showed up in her dreams.

This was _way_ beyond what she had during her dark days.

This was almost too good to be real—

_ Oh no._

Her ears stiffened.

Her tail froze.

Dale slowly padded to the bedroom, saying, "It was very nice of Clarice and Canina to recommend this place, don't you think?"

He was admiring the luxurious suite, but his train of thought was derailed as Foxglove suddenly grabbed him and whirled him to face her.

He was about to think that she was getting impatient, from the way she was feeling his face with her wings, but his swoon and tail swishing and ear layback were interrupted when he saw the expression on her face.

Foxglove was in a near _panic_.

Standing back slightly, he looked at her very uneasy-like, "W-what?"

Foxglove continued to feel his face, almost as if she had lost something there, or as if she was about to lose the most important treasure she had ever found—

"Who are you?" she demanded in a terrified whisper.

Dale stood back firmly, quite confused, laying back his ears, "Huh?"

"Wh-who…who…are…you?" she stuttered.

Dale couldn't for the life imagine why she would ask him something like that.

"Um, Foxy, I'm Dale Segoleh Oakmont, your husband, see?"

He waved his ringed digit for her to see and hear, but Foxglove's expression did not change.

"Foxy, what's wrong?" he asked, with near-panicky concern.

Foxglove replied, on the brink of tears, "Are…are you for _real_?"

Dale just looked at her for a moment.

He thought to himself, looked back at her again, and replied, "Well, from the last time I checked, yes. But I'll check again." He pinched his arm slightly, wincing. "Ouch. See? I'm real, I think. What, did you think I was a cartoon or somethin'? Foxy, what's wrong?"

The bat lady now cried openly, drooping her ears and tail, "Oh, please, _please_ be real!"

Dale became even _more_ confused.

"Even if you're a cartoon, _please_ be a _real_ cartoon!"

Dale came closer and held her wing, "Darlin', you're scarin' me. What are you talkin' about?"

Ashamed, Foxglove lowered her head, but Dale gently raised it back up and looked at her eyes.

Suddenly, fright came on _his_ face now.

"Um…uh, d-don't tell me you're…uh…_s-scared_," he shivered.

The bat lady shook her head, "N-no, it's not that, but I _am_ scared that…that this will all just be a dream…" She sobbed, "Oh, Dale, it's just that…I've had so many dreams about you—about _us_ being together like this—and…and I've _always_ awakened right on the best part! Now that we're here, in the perfect place with the perfect mate…Dale, this feels like Heaven…and…and…it's just _too_ good to be true! Dale…I'm…I'm afraid…that I'm going to wake up again…and…and…you'll disappear…[sob]…and…_none_ of this will have been for real…!"

Foxglove threw her wings around him and sobbed into his chest.

Dale _knew_ that sooner or later they would have marital problems, but the marriage counsellor never mentioned _this_. So all he could do was hold her and try to comfort her as best as he could.

The only response he could come up with was, "Um, Foxy, I don't know if this will make you feel better…but…I told you that I've had _my_ share of dreams as well…and…I've _also_ woken up on the best part."

He then pushed her back slightly, and looked into her eyes, swishing his tail a trifle, but still keeping his ears down.

"Foxy, I don't want you to go through that again. If none of this is for real…then…then…you'd better wake up _now_, and not later on. You deserve better than that."

Foxglove just bit her lip slightly, hesitating.

"Foxy, please, if it _is_ a dream, you won't lose anythin' this time. Please, do it."

Reluctantly, Foxglove released him.

She held her wings in front of her, and brought her right wing to her mouth.

Since she couldn't pinch very well, she decided to bite herself.

Trembling, she opened her mouth, placed her thumbclaw between her fangs, and bit down, gently at first.

Then, harder.

And harder.

And—

_ "Ouch!"_

She suddenly shut her eyes and hushed her sonar. She didn't want to face the frustration of reality and non-fulfilment again.

"Who are you?"

_ Oh no._

"Who _are_ you?" insisted the voice.

But then, she recognised the voice.

It was Dale's voice.

But, were they _still_ in the hotel?

Or were they back in New York, with her sleeping next to a chipmunk who had never met her before?

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and quietly echosounded again.

She was still in the suite, with her husband in front of her.

Her ears straightened.

Her tail twitched.

She smiled.

"I…I am Foxglove Yegoleh of Oakmont, your wife," she stated, proud of the names Dale had given her, especially the feminine counterpart of Dale's middle name.

But she was still a trifle unsure of the reality of all of this.

Dale padded up, ears up and tail in a blur, and caressed her face a bit.

"Are you for real?" he asked tenderly.

She almost swooned, but managed to reply, "I…I think so."

"Well, I certainly _hope_ so."

He moved in closer and gave her a light but long kiss that seemed to go on forever.

When they came up for air æons later, he stated, "Well, you seem real enough to me! And…Foxy…if this is _still_ a dream…then…I'll do everythin' possible to make sure you don't wake up."

"Won't that be kinda difficult considering—"

"Yes, I know. But I'll _still_ try."

The pipistrell smiled.

"Dale, do you think that _either_ of us are dreaming this? That maybe we both are just figments of each other's imagination?"

The tamias thought for a moment, and replied, "Doubt it. But if we are, and if we _didn't_ wake up just now, maybe we're inside someone else's dream."

The verspetilionid stood back, "You mean we could simply be figments of _someone else's_ imagination?"

The sciurid frowned a bit, "Possibly. And if we are, then I _hope_ he or she is enjoyin' this!"

"So, do you want to take that risk?" asked the chiropterid.

The rodent thought again, and said, "Yeah, why not? If it _is_ a dream, then _at least_ _we_ won't wake up soon. And if it _isn't_, well, then, that's good news for us, don't you think?"

Foxglove smiled sinisterly again, "I _love_ the way you reason, Cute Stuff." And she placed a light kiss on his red nose.

So, both went into the bedroom—

Both stopped, as did their tails, and their ears stiffened again.

The bed was covered with foxglove petals. That wasn't too bad in itself, but—

At the foot of the bed was a large box, slightly taller than they were.

It was gift-wrapped in purple, and it had a purple bow on top.

Hanging from the bow was a large tag.

The tag had a message printed on it, written in a gold Old English font:

**_Congratulations, Dale and Foxglove_**

"Uh, Foxy, did any of the guys know we were goin' to be _in this room_?" asked Dale, rather nervously, eyeing the box with extreme suspicion.

"I…I doubt it…but Canina and Clarice made the reservations…maybe _they_ did."

Still quite suspicious, Foxglove echosounded at the box.

There was no ticking coming from it, and no humming, either. So there was no mechanical or digital timer inside.

"A complementary gift from the hotel?" asked Dale, not wanting to consider their enemies just yet.

"M-maybe," she stuttered. "Dale, I _think_ it's safe. I don't hear anything moving inside. Can you smell anything?"

Dale padded closer to the box, and took some careful sniffs.

He didn't smell anything explosive or flammable, and this box _couldn't_ be airtight because it was made of thin cardboard and it was too small, relatively speaking.

He did, however, smell something else, something that lingered about the box, something that appeared to trigger yet another suppressed instinct within him.

It was an instinct that had somehow remained neglected all this time. With them dealing with death and resurrections for so long, and killing many things and bringing back many things from beyond the grave, that particular instinct seemed to have been lost in the shuffle.

All this time, he _knew_ they were forgetting something, but it was so dim and hazy in his memory that he couldn't pinpoint it.

Even now, the scent he was getting wasn't entirely clear. It was _certainly_ pulling something from deep within him, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

So, he just padded up, and pulled on the bow.

The purple wrapping fell to the floor.

And Dale staggered back, ears laid down, his mouth wider than ever, his tail swishing like never before, and his eyes glazed like never before.

In front of him, inside a gold-coloured carton-framed box, with transparent sides, was—

_ The biggest—_

_ The most colossal—_

_ The richest—_

_ The yummiest—_

_ GIANT white chocolate Hershey's kiss with almonds that he had ever seen._

The music started up again.

( w w w (dot) y o u t u b e (dot) c o m /watch?v=64v-yj_c8dI )

_"When a man loves a woman!"_ And once again, neither knew where it was coming from. Maybe someone had the radio too loud again.

_"Can't keep his mind on nothin' else."_ Foxglove echosounded at Dale, and smiled. She certainly _knew_ about his chocolate reflex.

_"He'd trade the world—for the good thing he's found."_ She padded up to the box, and craftily opened it. All of its sides fell flat on the floor, leaving the Hershey's Kiss out in the open, finally.

_"If she is bad, he can't see it!"_ Never again would Dale, nor anyone, see her as the criminal she once was. She was forever a good one now.

_ "She can do no wrong."_ Dale was now frozen in place just from what he was smelling.

_"Turn his back on his best friend—if he puts her down."_ Well, maybe not turn his back on Chip, but just place him aside, for now. Just then, Foxglove echosounded downward, to the bottom of the box.

_"When a man loves a woman!"_ At the base of the Hershey's Kiss, there were none other than _chocolate covered LUNA MOTHS!_

_"Spend his very last dime—"_ She, too, stood back for a moment, more than stunned, ears laid back, with her tail in a blur again.

_"Trying to hold on—to what he needs."_ That was _certainly_ not what she expected from a wedding present, either.

_"He'd give up all his comforts!"_ She gathered her thoughts again, straightened her ears, and padded up to the Kiss.

_ "Sleep out in the rain—!"_ They remembered the rainy night she came back, and the night she left. Craftily, she placed her wings on the Kiss, and broke off the tip, causing Dale to perk up his ears.

_"If she said that's the way—it ought to be."_ Then she reached down, and picked up one moth.

_"Heyyy, ah…"_ And then she practically floated up to Dale.

_ "Oooo—"_

_"When a man loves a woman…! Yeah…"_ At this point, Dale was wondering if everything that was going through his mind was moral, or even _legal_.

_"I give you everything I've got! Ho, oh—"_ But then, he looked at Foxglove's ring.

_"Trying to hold on—to your precious love."_ Then, he looked at _his_ ring.

_"Baby! Baby, please don't treat me bad!"_ This was perfectly moral.

This was perfectly legal.

All of their friends and relatives knew where they were and what they were doing…well, they had a general idea, at least.

And they all had sanctioned it and given them their blessing.

This was the perfect time.

This was the perfect place.

It was time for _more_…

_"Oooo—"_

_ "When a man loves a woman!"_ Looking at her with glazed eyes, he saw her come up to him, and she placed the moth on his right paw.

_"Deep down in his soooul,"_ Then she moved his right arm over her shoulder, and put her left wing, which had the Kiss piece, around his shoulder.

_"She can bring him—such misery."_ And what a horrible misery it was, but it was in the past now. Gently, she put the Kiss in his mouth, and he picked up on what she was doing.

_"If she is playing him for a fool…!"_ Not that she would ever play him like that, either.

_ "He's the last one to know."_ Following her lead, he placed the moth in her mouth.

_"Loving eyes—can never see."_ Both would only see/hear good in each other, now and forever. Both were suddenly overtaken by a rush of endorphins brought about by the wonderful flavour and scent of their favourite foods, causing them to become _very_ light-headed and to nearly faint.

And both were practically drowning in pheromones now.

_"Yes, when a man loves a woman!" _And then they looked/echosounded at each other's eyes.

_"I know exactly how he feels."_ A slight pause, as in each other's eyes, they saw/heard each other.

_"'Cause baby!"_ They saw/heard their souls within each other.

_"Baaaaaaaaby…yyy…!"_ They were now part of each other: body, mind, and spirit.

_ They saw/heard passion._

_ They saw/heard love._

_ They saw/heard peace._

_ They saw/heard joy._

_ They saw/heard kindness._

_ They saw/heard tenderness._

_ They saw/heard laughter._

_ They saw/heard humour._

_ They saw/heard strength._

_ They saw/heard expectancy._

And due to the circumstances, they saw/heard _extreme eagerness_ as well.

_"When a man loves a woman!"_ Having eaten their mouthfuls, she turned slightly, held his paw to her face, and kissed his thumb again, making him shiver. She then placed both wings around him, and he placed both arms around her. Tails blurred, and ears were laid back.

_"Wo…"_ And they kissed.

_"When a man loves a woman!"_ It was sweet.

_"Yea-yea!"_ It was chocolaty.

_"When a man loves a woman!"_ It was only the beginning.

_"…when a man loves a woman…"_

_"When a MAN!"_ [Camera truck out of the suite through closed venetian blinds, truck higher and higher, first showing the small mammal hotel wing, then the human hotel itself.]

_"When-a-MAN!"_ [Truck out still higher, now showing the hotel zone.]

_"…when a man loves a woman…"_

_"When a man loves a woman_!" [Truck out still higher, now showing the Cancún bay area.]

Fly, fly, fly, fly away, with the one you promised to love forever, fly to unreachable heights with him, the Wind Beneath Your Wings, to unknown places, to uncharted worlds, to have new, wonderful, exciting, and scary adventures with him, to go through danger together, to love him from now to eternity, to be a part of him, to have him be a part of you, to feel both the pleasure and pain of love, to go where no bat or chipmunk has ever gone before, to bring forth new life, to stand by each other, fly, fly, fly away, with him, forever and ever…

_"Hooo—! Hoo—! Hoo—! Hoo—! Hoo—! Hoo—!"_ [Truck out still higher, now showing the mainland, the bay area, Isla Mujeres, and the Caribbean Sea.]

_"…when a man loves a woman…"_

Fly, fly, fly, fly away…

_"…when a man loves a woman…"_

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_ "…oh, Dale…"_

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It was _only_ the beginning…

THE END / DAS ENDE / DIE EINDE / EINDE / EL FIN / O FIN / LE FIN / IL FINE / SFÂRŞIT / KONIEC / КОНЕЦ / BEIGAS / LOPPU / ΤΈΛΟΣ / ףוס / TAMAT / LIAU LIAU / DANEH O' / 剧 终 / おわり / SLUTT / SLUT / UXUL / TLAMILIZTLI


	38. CREDITS

**CREDITS** (quite some interesting stuff here)

Chip and Dale were created by Jack Hannah, I think.

Gadget Hackwrench, Monterey Jack, Zipper, Plato, Aldrin Klordane, and Fat Cat were created by Tad Stones and Kevin Hopps, I think.

Foxglove and Winifred were created by Bruce Talkington, I think.

Tammy, Bink, and their mother were created by Tad Stones and Dev Ross, I think.

Midge was created by Sindy McKay and Larry Swerdlove, I think.

Camembert Kate was created by Bruce Reid Schaeffer, Ken Koonce, and David Wiemers, I think.

Cheddarhead Charlie and Ditz (and his friends) were created by Mark Edens, I think.

"The Red Badger of Courage", Rat Capone, Arnold Mousenegger, and Sugar Ray Lizard were created by Michael P. Nelson and Burt Brown, I think.

Iron Goose and Queenie were created by Tad Stones and David Wise, I think.

Sureluck Jones was created by Eric Lewald, I think.

Clarissa, Chi-Chi, Lucy, Chattie, Zip and Zap, Chet, Granny Chippy, Cyril Chipmunk, Chester Chipmunk, and Gerry Squirrel (and Cyril's bull incident) were created by the writers of "Disney and Me", of whom Disney had the rudeness of not acknowledging individually in those comics.

Clarice and The Acorn Club were created by Nick George and Bill Berg, I think.

The name "Colby" was coined by Art Cover, Lydia Marano, and Bryce Malek, I think, and was suggested for Monterey's last name by Carlton "Wescott" Edward Baird II.

Sparky and Buzz were created by Kevin Hopps, I think.

Harpo Mouseo was created by Dean Stefan, I think.

Chirp Sing was created by Tad Stones, I think.

Tom and Butch were created by David Wise, I think.

Sam, Sue, and Elwood were created by Lynn Barker, I think.

Canina LeFur was created by Doug Hutchinson, I think.

Melody was created by David Schwartz, I think.

Dale's workout suit (and all original wardrobe) was designed by Ken Boyer and Kenny Thompkins, I think.

The Ranger Wing, the Ranger Plane, the Ranger Skate, and Ditz's spaceship were designed by Rob Laduca and Terry Hudson, I think.

* * *

All characters are © Disney (and used without permission, but it's doubtful that they mind) EXCEPT FOR:

Otis and Uncle Phinehas, and the _Fur and Feather Journal and Picayune_, who are © Roy Neal Grissom, who also conceived the armadillo thing, the luna moth thing, Foxglove's Steeple, part of the Park Incident, the language thing, the theories concerning Foxglove's past, Fat Cat's Letter, Dale and Foxglove's Greeting, Foxglove's Worst Insult, Foxglove's Original Final Moments, the "A Elbereth Gilthoniel!" reference, and Dale's Original Proposal. Used with permission.

Pierre and Dalee Oakmont, Chap and Nikoma Maplewood, Tac, Clark Jent, Feyyanna, Janice, Marcus, Richard, Rosie, Dusk, Dawn, Curtis, Grace, Leticia, Irene, Dawn, Aurora, Alicia, the _Vegas Furries_, The Nutshell Club, the squirrel emcee, Mortimer, Clarice's Band, Kyle, Dr. Qandlier and his wife, Dr. Johanna, the chipmunk cub, Strigidæ/Ima, the prairie dog bouncers, Dr. Jay, Tyndal, Anna, James, and the bellhop, who are © The J.A.M.

Mulder and Scully, who are © 20th Century Fox. Used without permission.

Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Han Solo, The _Millennium Falcon_, and "The Empire Strikes Back", who are © Lucasfilm. Used without permission.

"An American Tail", which is © Amblin Entertainment. Used without permission.

Rocky Balboa, who is © Metro-Goldwin-Mayer/United Artists. Used without permission.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who is © Paramount Pictures. Used without permission.

Sergeant Slaughter, who is © Hasbro. Used without permission.

Bernard, Bianca, and The Rescue Aid Society, who are © Margery Sharp. Used without permission.

And Godzilla, who is © Toho. Used without permission.

* * *

Original casting by Olivia Miner.

Additional casting by The J.A.M. and Roy Neal Grissom.

Chip Maplewood is Tress MacNeille

Dale Oakmont is Corey Burton

Gadget Hackwrench is also Tress MacNeille

Monterey Jack Colby is Jim Cummings

Zipper Lightringer is also Corey Burton

Foxglove Oakmont is Deborah Walley

Pierre Oakmont is Frank Welker

Dalee Oakmont is B.J. Ward

Chap Maplewood is Peter Cullen

Nikoma Maplewood is Noelle North

Cheddarhead Charlie is also Jim Cummings

Camembert Katie is Fran Ryan

Tammy Hazelnut is also Noelle North

Midge is also Tress MacNeille

Phinehas Maplewood is also Peter Cullen

Otis is also Corey Burton

Clark Jent is Kenneth Mars

Clarice Tamiassara is Susan Blu

Feyyanna is also Susan Blu

Janice is also B.J. Ward

Marcus is Marshall Efron

Richard is also Frank Welker

Rosie is Tara Charandoff

Curtis is Brian Cummings

Grace is Cathy Cavadini

Dusk is Rob Paulsen

Dawn is Alyson Court

Sparky is Danny Gans

Buzz is also Danny Gans

Squirrel emcee is Dan Gilvezan

Mortimer is Bobcat Golthwait

Winifred is also Tress MacNeille

Rat Capone is also Jim Cummings

Arnold Mousenneger is also Brian Cummings

Sugar Ray Lizard is Chuck McCann

Dr. Qandlier is Michael Fantini

Harpo Mouseo is Himself

The chipmunk cub is also Alyson Court

Dr. Johanna is also Tress MacNeille

Strigidæ/Ima is Jackie Burroughs

Chirp Sing is also Jim Cummings

Chattie is also Cathy Cavadini

James is also Frank Welker

Zip is also Tara Charandoff

Zap is also Tara Charandoff

Granny Chippy is June Foray

Chet is also Chuck McCann

Sam is Josh Rodine

Sue is also Josh Rodine

Elwood is Pat Musick

Canina LeFur is Carol Channing

Mrs. Hazelnut is also Tress MacNeille

Bink is also Noelle North

Melody is Russi Taylor

Queenie is Sindy McKay

Kyle is Henry Gibson

Bianca is Eva Gabor

Bernard is Bob Newhart

Chester is also Henry Gibson

Chi-Chi is Louise Vallance

Lucy is Pauline Renniee

Cyril is Hal Smith

Clarissa is Jennifer Darling

Gerry is Alan Oppenheimer

and

The Bellhop is The J.A.M.

Additional special appearances by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.

* * *

Additional wardrobe designed by The J.A.M.

Props by Tinker-Toys.

Some ærial manœuvers were suggested by The E.Q.U.I.N.N.O.X. (a former student of mine).

Hotel accommodations by Hyatt Regency Cancún Furry Division.

* * *

The name Maplewood was coined by Michael "Questy" Demcio.

The name Oakmont was coined by Michael "Questy" Demcio with collaboration from Jeff Pierce and Meghan Elizabeth Brunner.

The names Lightringer and Hazelnut were coined by Natasha Kashefipour.

The name Tamiassara was coined by The J.A.M.

The Mohawk names: Segoleh ("he who laughs"), Yegoleh ("she who laughs"), and Hastahah ("he who grieves"), were coined by The J.A.M. with collaboration from Kevin "KS" Sharbaugh.

* * *

Small Mammal Health Consultant: John W. Nowak.

Weather Consultant: John W. Nowak.

Io Consultant: John W. Nowak.

The Dale-hanging-from-his-ankles thing was also originally conceived by John W. Nowak.

The Sparky-and-Buzz-at-MIT thing was originally conceived by Michael "Questy" Demcio.

Foxglove's flashback with Winifred and the "hardball" quote were originally conceived and written by Bruce Talkington.

The New Zealand incident was originally conceived and written by Julia J. Roberts.

The South America incident, and Gadget's quote, were originally conceived and written by Dev Ross and Tad Stones.

The Paris incident, and Gadget's quote there as well, were originally conceived and written by Dean Stephan, Ken Koonce, and David Wiemers.

The super spy reference was originally conceived by Julia J. Roberts and Tad Stones.

Gadget's run-in with the FBI was originally conceived by Robert "Robo|\|erd" Hollinshead.

The quotes from "Rocky" were originally conceived and written by Sylvester Stallone.

Some of the choreography for "Born To Be Alive" was suggested by The R.R.O.S.I.E. and The C.A.T.M.A.N.

Hebrew consultant: Roy Neal Grissom (you're one of the good ones, Mr. Grissom!)

Both of Foxglove's kidnappings were originally conceived and written by Roy Neal Grissom.

Gadget's Cabinet, Translator, Elevator, and Foxglove's Original Short Wave Radio were designed by Roy Neal Grissom.

Foxglove's New Digital Short Wave Radio was designed by The J.A.M.

The Ceremony was also originally designed and orchestrated by Roy Neal Grissom. Additional orchestrations by The J.A.M.

* * *

"In My Arms Again" is © 1998 Milene Music, Inc./Deer Valley Music (administered by Milene Music, Inc.)/ASCAP/Lil' Yeila House Music/BMI/Lola Max Music/ASCAP. Written by Michael W. Smith, Joanna Carlson, and Cindy Morgan. Performed by Michael W. Smith. Orchestrated and conducted by Tom Howard. Programming and Keyboards by Michael W. Smith and Bryan Lenox. Guitars by Brent Barcus. Used without permission.

"Somewhere Out There" is © 1986 MCA Records. Written by Cynthia Weil. Music by James Horner and Barry Mann (Grammy Best Song in a Movie Soundtrack 1987!). Performed by Corey Burton and Deborah Walley. Used without permission.

"Desesperada" is © 1994 Polygram Latino Records. Written by Steve Singer and A. Roberts. Adapted by Carlos Toro Montoro. Performed by Martha Sánchez. Used without permission.

"My Destiny" is © 1950 Mack David (lyrics) and Jerry Livingston (music). Popularised by Billy Eckstine. Performed by Tress MacNeille, Corey Burton, and Susan Blu. Used without permission.

"Little Girl" is © 1931 Madeline Hyde and Francis Henry. Popularised by Guy Lombardo. Performed by Tress MacNeille, Corey Burton, and Susan Blu. Used without permission.

"Every Breath You Take" is © 1983 A&M Records. Written by Sting (Grammy Best Song 1983!). Performed by Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"I Want To Know What Love Is" is © 1984 Atlantic Records. Written by Mick Jones. Performed by Susan Blu, Tress MacNeille, Cathy Cavadini, B.J. Ward, Rob Paulsen, Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, and Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"Edge of my Heart" is © 1986 Coda Records. Written by Tymon Murray. Performed by Deborah Walley. Used without permission.

"Just Another Day" is © 1992 SBK Records. Written by Jon Secada and Miguel A. Morejón. Performed by Deborah Walley, Tress MacNeille, Susan Blu, Cathy Cavadini, B.J. Ward, Rob Paulsen, Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, and Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is © 1983 Columbia Records. Written by Jim Steinman. Performed by Deborah Walley, Tress MacNeille, Susan Blu, Peter Cullen, and Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" is © 1984 Atlantic Records. Written by Phil Collins. Performed by Deborah Walley and Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"Raiders March (Indiana Jones Theme)" is © 1981 Columbia Records. Written by John Williams. Performed by Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"Born To Be Alive" is © 1979 Radmus Publishing. Written and performed by Patrick Hernandez. Used without permission.

"Big Red Theme" is © 1979 William Wrigley Jr. Company. Written by Peter Cofield. Performed by the entire cast. Used without permission.

"Wind Beneath My Wings" is © 1988 Atlantic Records. Written by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. Performed by Corey Burton. Used without permission.

"My Heart Will Go On" is © 1997 Sony Classical Records. Written by Will Jennings. Music by James Horner. Performed by Deborah Walley, Tress MacNeille, and Peter Cullen. Used without permission.

"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life" is © 1987 RCA Records. Written by Donald Markowitz, John De Nicola, and Frankie Previte. Performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. Used without permission.

"When A Man Loves A Woman" is © 1991 Columbia Records. Written by C. Lewis and A. Wright. Performed by Michael Bolton. Used without permission.

* * *

No copyright infringement is intended or implied. I did all this for the fun of it.

All of the characters, places, and events portrayed in this fanfic are fictitious. Any resemblance to any real persons, places, or events is unintentional and purely coincidental. Trust me on this one, guys. Even if you feel that I took some events from Real Life (or even some fanfics other than the ones mentioned, please believe me, Indy, Mr. Silva, and Mr. Plotecher!), trust me, I wrote them down _long_ before they actually happened.

* * *

**SPECIAL THANKS**

To Microsoft's _Encyclopædia Encarta '99,_ for all the scientific classifications.

To Hershey's, for furnishing most of the candy used in this fanfic.

To the William Wrigley Jr. Company.

To Roy Neal Grissom (who else), for sorta starting this whole thing off, with his fanfics: "Home Is Where You Hang Upside-Down", and "Consummation", of which I make numerous references here. I couldn't have done it without you.

To Roy Neal Grissom and John W. Nowak, for the joke material. I know I modified it a trifle, but thanks anyways.

To John W. Nowak, for taking his time in proofreading this story.

To Kevin "KS" Sharbaugh, for his assistance in providing Dale's and Foxglove's middle names.

To Christopher Silva, for his contribution: "Dale's Lament", in chapter **TESSARES — DALE'S LAMENT: I AWOKE AND LAUGHED NO MORE**. Beginning with "Do you know what it feels like to be insignificant, Chip?" to "Imagine these things and know what it is like to be Dale," that segment was originally conceived and written by him. I made some changes to allow it to flow with the story, but I know you won't mind. For the original "Dale's Lament", contact him.

To Natasha Kashefipour (I LOVE saying that name!) for all the info and pics of Clarice, Cousin Chet, Sam and Sue, and Elwood. You're the best!

Kashefipour-Kashefipour-Kashefipour-Kashefipour-Kashefipour—

AHEM! To Ruslan Matvienko, also for his Clarice pics. Did you think I'd forget you?

To _both_ Natasha Kashefipour _and_ Carlton "Wescott" Edward Baird II, for their original joint contribution of the lyrics of "My Destiny", as well as its orchestration.

To Carlton "Wescott" Edward Baird II, for his original contribution of the lyrics of "Little Girl". I was about to put the Amy Grant lyrics ("HEY Little Girl, running out so fast…"), but you saved the day. Thanks.

To David Junker, for the info on Chirp Sing.

To Christopher "Dale" Birkett, for all the info on Lucy, Chi-Chi, Clarissa, Cyril Chipmunk, Chester Chipmunk, Gerry Squirrel, Granny Chippy, Chattie, and Zip and Zap.

To John Alan "Q" Davidson, for the "Rocky V" quote. Thanks a bunch!

To both Matt Plotecher and Christopher "Dale" Birkett, for the voice lists.

To Christopher Silva, Matt Plotecher, and Stephen "Indy" Hamrick, for their little (but important) bits of input.

To Roy Neal Grissom (one more time), and Riga's very own, Aivars Liepa, for their owl idea and for their assistance in the various ways of saying "END".

Also to The P.E. for _his_ contribution in the various ways of saying "END".

And to CD, for the correction of the origins of "My Destiny" and "Little Girl".

To Rye, for the Chinese and Japanese characters that mean "END".

To Roy Neal Grissom (yes, again), for helping me with the lyrics of "Edge of my Heart" for the second edition.

* * *

**TREMENDOUSLY SPECIAL THANKS**

To Roy Neal Grissom. You're an incredible writer as well. Thanks for the inspiration. This story would not have existed without you.

And to Natasha Kashefipour—Kashefipour-Kashefipour-Kashefipour-Kashefipour-Kashefipour—AHEM! For going through land and sea to get the information I asked for, and for being an incredible friend as well.

And yes, I was counting the chapters in Greek.

Just in case you're wondering, the various ways of saying "The End" are written in English, German, Afrikaans, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian, Polish, Russian, Latvian, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Malay, Hokkien, Seneca, Chinese, Japanese, Norwegian, Swedish, Mayan, and Náhuatl (Aztec), respectively.

Also, chapter** DODEKA — GADGET'S LAMENT: DEATH OF A DREAM** is dedicated to Julie Bihn and all her disciples, commonly known as the Antis.

In Memoriam:

Jackie Burroughs

1939-2010

And no, none of the Rescue Rangers nor their friends nor the hotel staff gave the Oakmonts that giant Hershey's Kiss (or the luna moths or the foxglove petals).

That was a gift from…

ME!

¡Zacatepóngolas!

Until next time, remember:

I

AM

THE

J.A.M. (a.k.a. Numbuh _i_: "Just because I'm imaginary doesn't mean I don't exist")

Good evening.

[WARP!]


End file.
